Winter's Tale
by Lapis Moon
Summary: My name is Diana. At least, that's what everyone calls me. I am the youngest child of Mab, the Queen of the Unseelie Court. When Meghan Chase, daughter of Oberon, returns to the Nevernever, I would never have even dreamed of the changes upon the destinies of my family. The fates of my brothers have begun to move toward their final stage, and I can't help but wonder what my own is.
1. Chapter 1: Winter's Home

The first thing that I saw when I opened my eyes was the dark forest, so familiar yet ironically unsettling at the same time. Snow was gathering on the land, coating the frosty grounds and dancing in the harsh winds of the winter world. I was no seer, but any faery that had lived so long a time could tell the change in the realm. Maybe it was only my imagination, but I thought I felt the glamour of Tir Na Nog flicker almost warningly, like some great event was surely approaching.

It was habit now, to let no sign of emotion show on my expression, even as I gazed out of the window in my room. There was no one to watch me, and yet my nature prevented my thoughts from appearing obvious to the world. Looking into the reflective glass, my appearance hinted at my quick nap a few moments before, caused by a mixture of weariness and boredom. After all, sleep had proven to be effective when I just needed to pass time, but had no wish to approach the others in the castle.

I wasn't like Rowan, so engrossed in the twisted games of the Winter court that it was a miracle he did not forget himself. Or perhaps he did, but I was just too unobservant to notice. Nor was I like Ash, so favored by our mother that she did not care if he spent hours away from home, finding peace in his hunt. Truthfully, many times I wanted to do the same, though Mab didn't let me leave so frequently. That was only one of her many decisions that I questioned, for it was obvious to everyone that I would never be considered her heir.

After all, I wasn't as strong as Ash or as smart as Rowan, much as I was upset to admit to the intelligence of my second brother. Sage was a bit of both, and for some reason, Mab had never viewed him as a favorite. Even though she was my mother, I had no clue how she judged the people around her, nor how her mind worked in the first place.

Unrelated musings ran through my mind like my comb through my black hair, and I dreaded the moment when another plan would come to Mab and she would call for us. It was inevitable, and this time I really had no wish to go to her, partly because of the many hours she had spent pondering about something unknown. If it didn't give the Queen another reason to want to freeze me into a solid block of ice, I would have pitied the target of her twisted thinking.

Memories flooded through my mind of the past Elysium, when the half-human daughter of Oberon had attended for the first time. Mab, who had been offended for some strange, probably insignificant reason, had subtly declared an end to the shaky truce that kept the faery rulers from utterly destroying each other. This didn't affect me much, except for the fact that now every Seelie I would accidently encounter in the future would have yet another reason to hate me. That wouldn't have influenced their actions, but after Mab's implied threat, they could now act on that hate.

A knock sounded on the door, startling me from my thoughts, and practically destroying every bit of peace I had managed to gather. There was a slight pause, until a voice sounded, speaking the words I most dreaded to hear right now. "Queen Mab requests your presence in the throne room, Princess."

* * *

At that moment, standing in front of the smiling faery queen, I discovered how hard it was to actually not look as if I had just woken up. Looking away from Mab's eyes, I tried my hardest to convert my annoyance into boredom, though by the smirk that immediately adorned Rowan's lips, I figured that I was not succeeding.

Thankfully, Mab didn't focus on me long, because she apparently had more important things to discuss. "You have seen the Summer Princess, correct?" Now that she spoke, I could see that her joy was not exaggerated in her eyes, though her happiness was no reason to celebrate. She paused for a moment, awaiting our response, her fingers making tinkling noises as they tapped restlessly on her throne.

Sage gave a barely noticeable nod, his expression a perfect mask of icy calm, and Rowan decided to draw attention to himself by verbally expressing his answer, though I had no clue why he would even want to. "Of course, Your Majesty." I noted that there was a spark of understanding hidden in his pale blue eyes, and I wanted to frown because mine were defined as the same color. It wasn't that I despised Rowan, for he still was my brother, but admittedly, he was not my favorite. The fact that his eyes, the most honest of his features were colored the same blue as mine, did little to comfort me.

"Bring her to Winter," Mab said simply, her thoughts probably revolving around the leverage she would gain against Oberon if we should succeed. "She is only a half-breed after all." The Winter Queen smiled again, though there wasn't a single shred of kindness in her eyes. Last Elysium, I had seen the Summer Princess dance with Ash, and she hadn't done anything to make me dislike her. I couldn't stop the automatic frown in response to Mab's orders.

As soon as I realized that everyone in the room had seen my reaction, I immediately regretted letting my mask slip so obviously. Rowan gave a smirk, and my hand inched towards the sword at my side, though I would not make use of it if I wanted to live, despite the temptation that my second brother was presenting. _No one freely shows disapproval to Mab's orders, _I reminded myself. _I made a mistake_.

Apparently Mab thought so too, and the tone of her voice seemed to change to something much more menacing when she softly asked, "Diana, is there something wrong?" The threat in her carefully leveled words were obvious, and I knew better than to voice my opinion. After all, if there wasn't something wrong already, she could easily make it so there was.

Hesitantly, and carefully as not to show the bit of fear that crawled into my mind, I gave a small smile and replied, "Nothing, my Queen." At my response, Rowan (for some unknown reason) gave yet another smirk, and I did my best to ignore him.

"Good," Mab said, and I silently gave a small sigh of relief. "Now then, why don't you all pay a visit to Summer?" There was an implied dismissal in her words, and I eagerly accepted it, even if it meant I must accomplish a task that I didn't wish to accomplish. However, I hadn't wanted to come to the throne room either when Mab had called, and so I mentally reminded myself that in life, I would have to deal with many things I didn't really want to do.

After a curtsy, I left the throne room with relief, following my brothers as they talked with emotionless voices. "What do you think she plans to do with the Seelie Princess?" Ash asked in a bored tone, staring out of the windows like he didn't care.

"If war is approaching, the answer should be obvious." Sage's reply was just as emotionless. His wolf walked beside him, amber eyes glaring at whoever came too close. I increased my pace, walking ahead of them and immediately regretted the action when I felt Rowan's glare on my back. It made me strangely uncomfortable, almost like he was considering the best way to kill me. He probably wanted to, though I would definitely like it if he made it just a tiny inch less obvious.

"Can you stop glaring at me like I'm planning to destroy the entire Winter court?" I hissed, though Rowan didn't seem intimidated at all. Instead, he let out an amused laugh, and I was once more tempted to use the sword by my side.

"Say that after you've become capable of destroying anything other than your reputation," he sneered, and I took a deep breath to calm myself. It didn't seem to work, and the air tingled with cold anyway, so I decided to give up.

"At least I still have a reputation," I muttered, though he heard it anyway. I felt childish, to so easily be convinced to argue like we were 3-year-olds.

"Arguing is pointless." Ash's voice cut through my intentions of voicing another useless insult, and Rowan directed his glare at Ash instead.

"Stay out of this, little brother." Menace was lingering in his tone now, though Ash didn't seem to care. Instead, he chose to ignore Rowan, once more focusing his gaze on the outside world with the slightest bit of longing. There was quiet for a moment, before Ash finally decided to reply.

"I will go first. I know the land well from my hunts, and I can very easily predict where the Summer Princess will enter our realm." His words brought me surprise, and I blinked once in confusion.

"Enter our realm?" Though it was a mystery of why she would come to the Nevernever in the first place, her motives for approaching Tir Na Nog were even more questionable.

"She was searching for a human in the Winter court," Ash replied, and I realized by his tone that he wasn't going to tell us any more than that. Rowan seemed to realize that Ash had somehow obtained more information, and he shot Ash another glare before rolling his eyes.

"Do what you want. But if you fail, I'll go." Rowan's voice was almost mocking, as if he was daring Ash to fail. He had always thought of Ash as a rival, though at this point, I suspected it was more than a childhood game. Ash didn't respond, and I admired his ability to stay so calm. I probably would have tried to draw my sword at least.

"I have no desire to join in your competition. If you do not wish to undertake the task, than it shall be my duty," Sage said, walking alongside his wolf. There was a pause, and I nodded slightly, unsure of how to reply. By this point, I was sure that I didn't have any wish to accomplish this particular order, though it was better than leaving it to Rowan.

"Ash, can I join you? In case she has come with protector of sorts, it would be better if both of us went." After all, the girl was still a Seelie Princess, who had probably inherited at least a bit of Oberon's glamour. It wasn't that I doubted Ash's power, but rather that I just didn't know the extent of hers. Besides, I really didn't want to spend any more time in the same area as Rowan.

"Very well," Ash answered indifferently, and I couldn't resist the urge to turn and smirk at Rowan. He only returned it, though I couldn't guess why.

* * *

AN

Please review this chapter! I wonder if it's an improvement after I rewrote it. Anyway, thank you to all the people who are reading this right now!

-Lapis Moon


	2. Chapter 2: Iron's Fey

It was still snowing, much to my annoyance, and bits of white flew around us as we continued through Tir Na Nog. The cold did not sting my skin, but the wind carrying the snowflakes swirled quickly to the ground, and it was hard not to be at least a little irritated when the snow speckled my clothes with white. Though I couldn't recall exactly when, at some point a debate of sorts had begun between the two of us on the subject of whether or not the nobles could hunt.

"They seem too comfortable in parties to be capable of hunting," I said, giving a quiet, quick laugh at that thought. "And besides, they like to sit on their thrones and order people around. I doubt they would find a reason to hunt_." Even if they were found in the forest, it's probably because they were looking for new pieces of gossip, _I thought, bitterness clouding my mental voice at the unpleasant memories it carried. After all, that was one of the things they did best.

"They are probably capable of hunting, but merely find no enjoyment while doing so." Ash's tone was casually indifferent, his stormy gray eyes seemingly clouding over with his thoughts, and I immediately knew he was reminded of Ariella. She had gone hunting with him quite often, and though much time had passed since her unfortunate death, Ash had never even come close to forgetting about her.

I brushed more snow idly off my sleeves, careful not to touch upon his feelings of that particular topic. "Perhaps they do, but just choose not to show it." My own thoughts drifted back to the time they would often sneak out of the castle together, finding joy hunting together outside. There was a pause in Ash's words, and when he spoke once more in a gentle murmur, his tone had become thoughtful and filled with unspoken emotion.

"Perhaps that is the answer."

There was silence, and I casually changed the topic to break it, not wanting our conversation to lapse into regretful thoughts. "Of Mab and Titania, whose temper is more explosive?" I inquired his opinion, musing silently over my own. We had reached the trod by then, and as we paused, Ash answered my question with a tiny, almost unnoticeable smile of amusement.

"Mab. She freezes whoever annoys her into a solid block of ice." His gray eyes lost their look of boredom, reminded by personal experience, and I was glad he had slipped out of the mask he used at court.

"I think Titania has a more dangerous temper. She was glaring at the Summer Princess the entire time of Elysium. Like she wanted to turn her husband's daughter into a mushroom." Or maybe it was just that most of the time, Mab keep her anger rather hidden. Not long ago, Titania had been yelling about the 'cold' and 'expressionless' Winter sidhe, though I didn't tell Mab of that incident. I was sure that if the Unseelie Queen knew, there would undoubtedly be another cause for war. Now that I thought about it, maybe Ash was right. Mab's temper was rather explosive.

He was about to reply, but suddenly his expression turned alert and wary, and he quietly warned me. "Diana, someone is approaching." Almost immediately and without sound, he used glamour, masking himself from the sight of the Summers. I blinked as I fully comprehended his words, before quickly doing the same, using the shadows to melt soundlessly into the landscape.

Voices filled the air, and I recognized Robin Goodfellow and the Summer Princess, shivering from the cold and talking to a cat. At the mere presence of the Seelie trickster, Ash was already tense from anger, and his hand inched instinctively towards his sword. Robin didn't seem to notice the killing intent that was directed towards him though, chatting in a carefree tone with the princess. "This place looks so…dead, you know?"

Personally, I disagreed with the statement. He would be deader than Tir Na Nog if Ash decided to attack. I wondered what we were supposed to do now. I heard rumors that Robin Goodfellow was a very powerful Summer faery, and the fact that even Ash was unable to kill him for so long only proved said rumors. This of course brought me a certain amount of worry, because I doubted I could do much against an opponent that Ash was unable to defeat. However, Mab would not tolerate failure, and so I waited in the shadows quietly, not wanting to ruin whatever plan I was sure Ash had.

I could detect Ash's presence through his glamour, and my brother seemed to weaken his cloak just a bit, like he was planning to attack. The cat rolled its eyes with lazy boredom, and, licking nonchalantly at its paws, he stared right at us. "We need to find shelter in this cold. But before that," he stopped his actions to gesture in our direction, eyes still focused undoubtedly on us. "Why do you not make yourselves known, Winters?" The cat didn't say 'Winters' the way Summers did; with scorn and a bit of disgust, but instead his tone was plainly casual and lazily disinterested.

I felt a bit of anger against him anyway, for giving our position to his companions so easily. Letting out a small sigh, I drew my sword slowly and shattered the illusion, glaring at the cat with all the hatred I felt right now. "There is no need to make myself known. I very well know who I am," I commented warily, observing my opponents cautiously. The cold of my sword in my palm comforted me, and I gripped it tighter in preparation for a battle.

"So you know something at least," Robin replied, his green eyes bright with humor.

Ignoring him, I addressed the Summer Princess instead, my expression automatically morphing into an emotionless mask. "Queen Mab wishes to speak to you." That wasn't a lie, though it wasn't the full truth either. Robin let out a laugh in response, clearly disbelieving of my words.

"The day the Queen of all Unseelie only wants to 'speak' to the daughter of her ancient enemy, is the day your brother manages to put a sword through my heart." There was a certain arrogance in Robin's tone, and I briefly wondered how long it would last.

"Both happens today," Ash said, melting out of the shadows. His sword was in his hands already, and his gray eyes were icy and cold.

"His Royal Iciness appears," Robin rolled his eyes, exaggerated sarcasm obviously present. Subtly, though not so it was unnoticeable, he stepped in front of Oberon's daughter as if to shield her. The half-human girl watched me with a bit of alarm, probably drawing the connection that I was indeed Ash's sister.

"Diana, stay out of this," Ash muttered, and I was about to remind him of how much he sounded like Rowan at the moment, though he was far too busy to notice me. I also wanted to tell him that I could very much fight too, even if I lost to him the first 1372 we sparred, though this was his vow to fulfill, and so I stepped back.

Ice daggers were flung at Robin from impossible angles, only to drop harmlessly to the ground in a shower of flowers. The sounds of blades colliding echoed through the air, and I inched forward, ready to jump in if Ash should get hurt. Almost unnoticeably, Ash shot me a pointed look, then his gaze drifted to the Summer Princess for a split second. He wanted me to obey Mab's orders, I realized.

I started forward, dodging around the battle, before realizing that the cat was once more staring right at me. "Diana," he purred, almost in an indirect warning to the half-human girl behind him. She looked up at me, and her blue eyes held no sign of fear. I was rather amazed at her courage, though I was careful not to let it show on my expression. The half-fey girl shot a worried glance at Ash and Robin, still circling around in a deadly dance. "What can we do for you?" Once again, the cat gave me away, and I was seriously contemplating freezing the thing and presenting him to my mother as a new statue for the garden.

"You can move away," I said in response, though predictably, the cat did not run, instead smiling at me in a sort of unexplainable amusement, slit eyes dancing with incomprehensible humor. Then, it hissed and disappeared, and I blinked, wondering when I had suddenly turned so intimidating. With my hearing, I could detect a strange buzzing, and I looked around carefully for the source.

It was at times like this that I questioned my vision, because I thought I saw thousands of insect-like creatures buzzing together in a great black cloud. They were nearing, and I glanced at the Summer Princess, wondering if their presence was her doing. She looked just as surprised as I felt, so it was either that she had nothing to do with them, or that she was just a really good actress. Sincerely, I hoped it was the first one. From personal experience, I had learned that whatever the Summer fey called upon seemed to automatically hate me for some reason.

The air burned at their unnatural presence, and my throat felt like it was incinerating when I tried to breathe_. Iron_, my instincts screamed at me. The only thing that could cause so much damage without direct contact. The buzzing cloud drew nearer, and I slashed at it with my sword, trying desperately to get the deadly metal away from my skin. Panic began to engulf me, and I tried to calm down, calling upon my glamour, though the iron prevented my magic from manifesting at all.

Every breath I forced myself to take felt like flames were licking at my throat, and every contact with the creatures felt like its own separate burn. The Summer Princess seemed to be surrounded as well, though I realized that the iron didn't seem to burn her the way it did to me. If most of the creatures weren't targeting her, I would have said that she was lucky. The buzzing seemed to become less loud, and I noticed that most of the iron insects were drawing away.

They traveled towards the sky, holding the Summer Princess, and with many loud buzzes, flew out of sight. Ash and Robin had managed to stop fighting now, and I tried my best to regain my composure, a stubborn refusal to show weakness to Puck. The insects were iron, and that shouldn't exist, but my probably unreliable memory said otherwise. If said memory had been the only proof, I would have easily brushed it off as an illusion, but there was still a lingering sting in my throat, and the way that Ash was thoughtfully glaring at the sky presented undeniable confirmation.

"What were they?" I asked, though I knew already that I may not get an answer. There was a large chance they wouldn't know any more than what I had already seen. After all, I was sure this was all of our first time to see a gigantic cloud of buzzing iron insects carry the Summer Princess away.

"I don't think the humans made them. So they were fey." Ash glanced at the ground near me, and I followed his gaze. The winter land was already dying, crystal flowers drooping and snow not nearly as heavy a blanket on the ground as before. It had only been a few insects, and there was now a large circle of weakened land. After a short pause, Ash turned his gaze to the now clear sky. "They took our target."

The cat was nowhere to be found, probably still hiding safety in a tree. _So he meant the other target_, I thought humorlessly. If we told Rowan that the Summer Princess had been carried away by a cloud of iron insects, I was sure he wouldn't believe us even if fey couldn't lie. Truthfully, the way it sounded in my mind, I wouldn't have believed myself either.

For once, Puck looked serious, worry obvious in his forest green eyes. The worry wasn't one that the Winter Knights might feel for us; a worry for their own lives when Mab found out instead of for our wellbeing. Instead, it was like he had lost someone personally important to him, and I wondered about his relationship with the Seelie Princess. He had followed her to Winter, and I doubted that Oberon had approved of such. However, it was obvious that he thought her important.

"Ash, can you put aside your rivalry for a moment?" I asked cautiously, and my brother glanced at me in confusion, gray eyes considering my question. Robin looked up, and a smile of sorts adorned his expression.

"That was iron, the deadliest substance known to all fey." The joking tone was back in his voice, as Puck announced our opponents again. "Much as I hate to admit it, Ice-boy is pretty strong, and I have better things to do than die today." The unspoken part of his words sounded in my mind, and I realized he hadn't said that despite everything in their history, the safety of Oberon's daughter seemed to take priority.

There was a pause, and I spoke to break the thoughtful silence. "For the most part, we cannot accomplish our goal without saving her first."

"Do we not have enough power by ourselves?" Ash muttered carefully, the air tingling with cold to prove his point.

"Do you really think I'll just sit by and let you two take her?" Robin asked, an eyebrow raised in exaggerated disbelief, and when Ash spoke, his voice seemed to contain bitterness in reflection of their ancient rivalry.

"I never said that."

I noticed that Ash had yet to sheath his sword, and I suddenly felt the urge to break up their argument, knowing we had more important things to do. "We're wasting time." Both of them failed to respond, and I doubted that either would be the one to propose a truce again. "We don't know how strong the insect creatures are, and so it would be better to fight together in a truce than to kill each other," I stated, and when they seemed to be listening, I took that as a sign to continue. "For the moment, I'll forget that you hate each other, and that Robin is supposed to be my ancient enemy."

"For some people, forgetting is much easier than remembering. I wish that ice-boy was one of those people," Puck muttered with a smirk, and I said nothing in reply to the implied insult. Ash said nothing either, and I was glad that they hadn't stabbed each other yet. The sound of a laugh echoed through the air, and my annoyance level rose even higher, if that was currently possible. The cat had returned.

"The girl is in one of the caves. I assume one of you know the nearest one?" The question was directed at either Ash or me, and though this was what most people would consider a serious situation, the tone of lazy boredom failed to disappear.

"In the east," Ash responded, unhesitant and confident with his knowledge, gesturing toward said direction.

"You are knowledgeable of your own realm, Prince." With that, the cat gave me a smirk, and the air around me tingled a bit with cold in response.

"Dia, do not be so easily offended," Ash commented simply, using a childhood nickname, and I withdrew my glamour. It didn't seem to escape his notice that my magic was slightly weaker than usual though, and I silently sighed. At least he didn't voice his thoughts.

"Indeed, Winter Princess. Call me Grimalkin," the cat commented, and I wanted to say that if he annoyed me anymore, I would call him nonexistent.

Ash headed with confidence towards the location of the cave, and I followed, not wanting to be left behind. Puck commented on something, and my brother responded, soon launching themselves into yet another pointless argument.

It was beyond my understanding, and I didn't bother to try, instead searching the land for any sign of the strange insects. The closer we got to the cave, the more I felt like the land was slowly dying, branches drooping and flowers drained of life. I made a mental note to definitely tell Mab later about this, whether she chose to believe me or not.

We approached the ice cave, and I definitely felt some strange aura inside, radiating in the air and poisoning the walls of the icy cavern. Puck threw a handful of leaves toward the sky, much to my surprise, and with a small flash of Summer glamour, they morphed into grinning clones of himself.

Without even the slightest bit of hesitation, the Pucks all ran towards the cave, making Ash sigh wearily. "Let us retrieve the Summer Princess," he murmured, and I nodded in response, drawing my sword in preparation. Slipping into a battle mode of sorts, my vision became sharp as I concentrated on the small details of our surroundings, senses tuned instinctively to suit the coming fight. Some of the icicles hanging from the walls were melting, and I couldn't stop my surprise from showing plainly on my expression, despite it being far from the strangest thing I had seen. That was unnatural, because things frozen in Winter did not melt.

Soon, turning towards the center of the icy space, I could detect its cause. Thousands of the strange insect things were drifting noisily around, filling the air with annoying buzzing noises, and tainting it with the curse of iron. I had convinced myself that this was the strangest thing I had seen today, though when I spotted Puck's opponent, I proved myself wrong.

There was a gigantic fire-breathing iron horse, trying to trample Robin Goodfellow with its hooves, and I would have laughed at the ridiculousness of the entire situation if it wasn't so dire. Ash's gray eyes were filled with disbelief, before he muttered, "Be careful," and prepared to enter the battle. Taking the Summer Princess's hand, my brother tried to lead her to safety, but the horse seemed to notice. It brought its great hoof down on Ash, and I drew a sharp breath.

Glaring at the strange iron horse, I flung a shower of ice daggers at its body, watching in dismay as they melted in contact with its skin. Apparently Winter glamour wasn't very effective against fire-breathing creatures, and glamour itself wasn't effective against iron horses. With that new discovery, I advanced with my sword, deciding that anything else would be a waste of time.

Ash was lying on the ground, his expression pained, and I felt a fury consume me for a moment. Though the force didn't kill him, the iron must have hurt. Yet another reason to somehow magically manage to freeze the fire-breathing iron horse. "FOOLISH WINTER GIRL. YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME, FOR I AM IRONHORSE, ONE OF KING MACHINA'S LIEUTENANTS," the iron horse yelled, and I wanted to cover my ears and kill him. Unfortunately, both couldn't be physically accomplished at the same time.

I was about to comment on the creativity of the name, until to my surprise, ravens stared clawing at him, making him blow more flames randomly into the air. I saw that Puck had taken care of the Summer Princess, and he smugly told us to hurry up if we wanted to live.

Much as I hated to listen to the suggestion of a Summer, I obeyed, following Ash as he ran out of the cave. "Prince, Princess. You may wish to collapse the walls," said the cat, and I figured that though he was annoying, the little creature had been right most of the time. Holding my arms out, I felt the ice of the cave, using my glamour to command it to respond. I could feel Ash's magic too, pushing down on the walls, and when we both brought our hands down, the cave collapsed into a heap of ice and snow. The glamour around my brother flickered dangerously, and he stumbled and fell, lacking energy and responding to the burn of iron.

I worriedly approached him, and the Summer Princess had the same emotion shining in her eyes as she started forward. I wondered why. After, he was a Winter Prince, supposedly one of her ancient enemies. Normally, people weren't worried for the wellbeing of their ancient enemies.

"What's your name?" She asked, and I looked towards her with startled surprise, wondering why she seemed to take interest in what to call me. "I know Ash's name, but not yours." The Summer Princess added after a bit of thought, a subtle sign to continue. I blinked, seemingly recalling that Ash had called me by my name sometime before in her presence, though she probably asked again to be sure.

Puck quickly answered for me. "Call her Diana, and she's-"

I had a good idea of what he was intending to say, but I interrupted anyway. "Very annoyed that you're talking about her as if she weren't right in front of you." Still though, I was surprised that the Summer Princess seemed to show no malicious intent in her gaze. Ash let out a snicker to my response, and I couldn't help but smile at how annoyed I managed to make Robin for a short moment.

"Call me Meghan, then," the half-human girl commented, probably just realizing that we had yet to call her by her name. I gave a nod of acceptance in response. It would be easier anyway. Plus, titles were unnecessarily long, and like most words used by the Winter nobles, sometimes a terrible waste of time.

"Ash, go home. I'll take it from here," I offered, taking into consideration the fact that he might have been killed, and that his wounds had looked painful. For a mere second, he didn't disagree, his gray eyes thoughtful. I almost thought that, for once, he would do what was best for himself, but instead, the light of stubbornness was lit once more in his gaze, and any hope I had of convincing him immediately vanished.

"Goodfellow is here. I need my revenge," he said simply, even though I had already anticipated his answer. _Wonderful. If no one got killed by the iron horse named Ironhorse, than they certainly will be now,_ I thought. Exhaling with slow weariness, I figured it was close to pointless to argue, and so I merely walked to the side, not intending to provoke their rivalry further.

"Another duel then?" Puck grinned, his hands moving towards his daggers, and his voice eager. If any of them said another word about fighting and/or killing each other, I mentally promised to freeze them. Vaguely, I wondered if that would work on Ash, though I was in a perfectly good situation to try.

"Both of you be quiet! Put away your weapons, now! Ash, in case you haven't noticed, you're injured, and Puck, what good would it be to win if he's hurt!? Both of you sit down and shut up." Surprisingly, it was Meghan who stopped their pointless argument from getting out of hand. Even more surprisingly, they actually listened.

There was silence for a moment, and Ash and Puck began to bicker softly again, ancient rivalry not so easily forgotten. This time though, their hands strayed away from their weapons, and I was relieved that Tir Na Nog wouldn't be destroyed by their pointless battles. Actually, now that I thought about it, maybe there was another way the land could be destroyed. If Ash got injured and Mab discovered that it was due to a Summer, the realm would probably suffer unrepairable damage from her wrath.

"Heaven knows what those iron things were," I muttered under my breath, though the cat heard me anyway.

"Heaven knows why you haven't figured it out yet," Grimalkin said lazily, and I figured that he was made to get on my nerves. Heaven knows why I have yet to turn him into a motionless statue.

* * *

AN

I completely rewrote this chapter, and hopefully it's at least a little bit better than before. Anyway, thank you to my dear readers, and please leave a review. I look forward to knowing what you think about this story!

-Lapis Moon


	3. Chapter 3: Winter's Betrayal

When fey glare, it meant that they were protecting their pride, or that they were considering the best way to stab the other. The way Puck and Ash glowered at each other, hands twitching more than once towards their weapons, I concluded it was the latter.

"Ash, what now?" I muttered, feeling the Winter glamour of the land swirl around me, healing any minor wounds and giving me strength. Puck stopped his death glare, though the arrogant grin didn't fade, and Meghan's expression turned curious as they both waited for Ash's response.

"I intend to take the Summer Princess to Mab," he replied, unhesitant, and Puck's green eyes narrowed suspiciously again. Subtly, he moved as if to shield her, and his hand reached into his pocket, where the ends of leaves were poking out.

"You must be crazy if you think I'll just stand by and let you," Robin mused, in the process of drawing his daggers already. The sharpened tips glistened in the sun, the bright light reflected easily on its smooth surface.

"You will not stand by. You will fall, dead." With a practiced motion, Ash raised his sword, in a single minute successfully forgetting the purpose of Meghan's surprising lecture. The cat smiled in lazy boredom, eyes strangely wise, before seemingly deciding that enough arguing had occurred today.

"Enough," said the creature simply, immediately leaping into the high branches of a tree when both sidhe turned to glare. Meghan gave a small frown, before whispering something to Robin. Strangely, my manners seemed to keep me from eavesdropping today, though if they didn't hurry, boredom would overcome formalities and I would listen anyway.

He looked extremely surprised, and she appeared to scold him for a moment, rewarded by a roll of his eyes. Then she said something else, glaring at him as if she didn't care what he thought. "Prince Ash and Princess Diana, I propose a contract."

If possible, my expression was probably more comical than Robin's had been. Ash's storm-colored eyes were filled with the same amount of confusion I felt right now, and there was silence for many long moments as we tried to figure out what she was proposing, and if she was sane. "Why?" I finally managed to inquire, trying my best to keep my tone level.

"There's someone more important to me than myself." Meghan's eyes glazed over with a bit of worry as she let her thoughts fill her mind. "My brother is with the iron fey, and I want you to help me find him." Her gaze filled with resolve and confidence, though the volume of her voice dropped when speaking the next phrase, as if careful not to let Robin hear. "In return, I'll go with you to the Winter court."

_We are in the Winter court_, I wanted to say, though I kept that particular thought silent. Instead, matching her volume of voice, I gave my answer quietly, voice barely above a murmur. "If we agree, you must swear to go with us to the Winter Queen." I had played enough of faery word games to avoid being deceived, even if she hadn't meant to trick us.

Louder, I asked, "What stops us from taking you back to the Queen now?" It was impossible to control the smile that curled my lips, amusement at her offer ringing through my mind. It was common knowledge that Unseelie would usually do whatever was most beneficial to themselves. In this case, that would be to immediately take her back so Mab wouldn't have any reason to freeze us into icicles.

"If you do, I'll fly back to tell the Summer King. I'm sure he would be more than happy to turn your currently injured brother into a mushroom. And also, I have to say that getting rid of the iron fey should be at the top of your to-do lists." Puck grinned at us, confidence evident in his gaze. "Besides, the princeling is injured. Do all of the Winter fey grow their eyes on the back of their heads?" He let out a snicker of amusement at the thought, and I turned away childishly in response, truthfully not knowing how to reply.

I could tell Ash was deep in thought, probably mentally weighing the advantages and disadvantages implied in Meghan's words. He let out a quiet sigh, and his gray eyes were shining with a combination of reluctance and uncertainty. "Robin is with her right now. We can't do anything anyway," I murmured, careful not to let the other two hear. "Though, to put it simply, I don't think Mab will appreciate how much longer it'll take."

"She never specifically set a time limit," he answered, seemingly unconcerned, though his hand brushed against his sword hilt absently, eyes lost in thought. I could sense that Robin was becoming impatient and a bit uneasy with the amount of time we were taking to answer, and the Summer Princess didn't seem to like the cold here. "Very well, then. I agree to your terms," Ash finally said, his voice cautious and reluctant.

Life had never liked me, and naturally, the person I was about to promise to search for was with the most dangerous and riskily mysterious of my enemies. "Assuming he's still alive, I accept your terms," I gave a shrug, putting up a false air of nonchalance, sheathing my sword. It was a symbol of peace, and the fact that I was too lazy to hold the weapon any longer. The sky was continuously darkening, signifying a storm, and it was obvious that we would need shelter soon. "Where do you intend to search?"

Meghan beamed at our confirmed truce, and Puck rolled his eyes with an exaggerated sigh, though at my question or the idea that he couldn't stab us, I had no clue. "Great. Let's sit down and have tea. Maybe spend the afternoon gossiping with my ancient enemies." He sounded both exasperated and sarcastic at the same time, though I stopped listening then, my gaze flickering instinctively to the east. Winter glamour drifted in the air, signifying the presence of an Unseelie sidhe, and a look at Ash confirmed he felt it too.

A mini-blizzard of sorts sent out white across our visions for a moment, bits of ice and snow flying in irritating chaos. Judging from the entrance alone, it was a faery who rather liked to show off. "Hello, darlings." A figure emerged from the blanket of Winter glamour, voice falsely sweet with coated honey, bringing all the tiredness of dealing with court back into the front of my thoughts.

There was a faint crackling of ice, and my head whipped to Puck and Meghan's direction, though the freezing Winter glamour had already begun to encase their bodies. The wind swept snow purposely at the Seelie, whispering and howling with aggressive intensity, and I turned my glare to the cause, eyes icy cold with barely concealed anger. "Stop, Narissa." I managed to say, glaring directly at her dark eyes. "Don't interfere."

With the speed of a winter storm, her observant gaze traveled to Meghan and Puck skeptically, before landing on an injured Ash, and her expression morphed into one of mild surprise. She gasped, breath sharp and filled with exaggerated urgency, and I could only guess at the wild conclusion that she had formed in her mind. "Have the Seelie injured you, Prince Ash?" There was a hint of overemphasized worry, though the scheming glint in her eyes didn't reassure me in the slightest. "If that's so, I would be glad to escort them to the Queen in your place."

Though Robin Goodfellow was still surrounded by ice, he still managed to somehow shoot Narissa the fiercest glare I've seen him make. At the Winter faery's comment, Ash rose and drew his sword, the quiet hiss of the blade leaving the sheath echoing to my ears. "I will take care of it," he replied, the mask of a Winter Prince perfectly mimicked in tone and expression. "Go back, or I shall send you."

The winds picked up speed again, flicking snow and ice forward with the intensity of Narissa's rising anger. "I have to say I am rather offended by your actions, darling." Her mouth curled into another false smile, and immediately I realized who had sent her, and therefore her purposes.

"Good. I see you at least grasp the concept of what a threat is meant to do," I responded, the cold of my own magic cloaking me in its protection, swirling in a dance of icy cold temperatures. "If you want even better understanding, try one on Rowan, and see what he does."

In less than a second, the false façade of kindness seemed to shatter like glass, and Narissa's eyes immediately narrowed into a glare. "Are you sure you are capable of following the Queen's orders without my assistance?" The implications of her words rang through my mind, though I dared not to let it show on my expression.

"Tell my brother that I don't need what he defines as his help, and that I am fully capable of handling the half-breed," Ash coldly stated, the air suddenly threatened by cold far beyond Narissa's capabilities. Apparently, my brother had finally decided that Rowan should be kept out of this particular mission, and I stepped back, having no intentions to interfere.

"Very well." The snow from the ground began to spin in a burst of magic, and Narissa's glamour gleamed obviously in her spell, traces of it fading away along with her form in the clouded snowstorm. Without a single shred of hesitance, Ash placed both hands on the ice that encased the two Seelie, causing a sound similar to shattering glass as the spell was broken under his touch.

"How do we know we can trust you? And that you won't stab us as soon as a chance pops up?" Puck asked, his voice strangely even, despite the incident a few moments before, though we could tell he was referring to it.

"You don't, and that's unbelievably tempting," I responded, knowing that it wasn't very helpful to our situation and temporary alliance. It was truth though, and I wanted him to know that there were things I haven't forgiven him for. He had taken Ariella's life, and therefore destroyed Ash's heart.

"Dia," Ash warned, a message for me to calm down. His eyes were like the essence of a Winter storm though, swirling with depths of unforgotten vows of revenge when he addressed his Summer rival. "We will not betray the reputation of the Winter court by going back on our word." Nor did we ever give our word that we wouldn't stab him, I noted.

Puck gave no response, though he sent Meghan a grin, carefreeness shining in his attitude once more. I stared into the distance, ignoring his manner and lost in my thoughts. "Meghan, I want to speak with you," I said, surprising every single faery and half-faery that heard me. Both fey boys looked up at my request with varied reactions of worry and astonishment. "Alone," I added.

"No." For the first time in at least a century, Robin Goodfellow and Prince Ash had agreed on something. Which meant that in my brother's case, something was more important than his rivalry. I shot him an irritated glare, a bit annoyed he was against whatever I was planning. To be truthful, I wasn't exactly supporting of my own plans either, though I didn't dare to admit that out loud.

"About what?" Meghan asked, and I was relieved to discover that she at least wasn't as quick to deny the request, even if she looked unnecessarily wary. Ash glanced once in a certain direction, and he sighed a little, as if he was completely uneager to encounter who he knew was there.

"Things that Ash and Robin don't need to hear." I shot an irritated look in the same direction, though I was careful to make it seem coincidental. Ash's gaze became both cautious and suspicious, the silver of his irises resembling the stormy sky, and Robin opened his mouth as if to retort.

"It's fine," Meghan reassured him, her eyes traveling pointedly in my direction. "I'm trusting her." In return, I offered a brief nod, as if promising that I wouldn't be the one to kill her. Robin looked uncertain, expression hesitant and reluctant, and Meghan continued. "I'll stay in shouting distance, but we'll have privacy." The Summer Princess may not have noticed it, but as Robin gave a slow nod, he shot a warning glare in my direction, signaling that if anything happened to her, he would want to kill me just as much as Ash wanted to kill him. Since when was Robin Goodfellow so protective?

Ash said nothing, merely gazing at us in confused interest, sheathing his sword absently with a single motion. He was probably trying to guess what I was planning, though for the moment, I didn't feel the need to tell him, mostly because he wouldn't agree. Meghan followed me silently a fair distance away, and as soon as we were far enough, she asked, "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Our contract," I replied, reviewing its terms again in my head. Some distance away, I heard the shifting and rustling of branches. "I have no intention of breaking it, but I will fulfill it in a different way. I have family issues to deal with." I always did, but in this situation, they seemed a little more serious.

"What are they?" Meghan questioned, and I exhaled slowly, considering the best way to respond.

"Rowan did something suspicious," I finally answered, dismayed to an extent of how normal and petty that sounded. Meghan continued to watch me, a silent sign to continue, and I decided that no harm could come from giving her a little more information. "Ash noticed too, though he probably decided that his agreement with you was more important than his family issues."

"Why would Rowan do anything? Isn't he your brother?" Meghan looked strangely confused, and I wondered what her definition of brother was. Something told me that it was very different from mine.

"My brothers and I are not as close as you would like to believe. To Rowan, anyone he calls a sibling is just a rival." My gaze traveled to the sky, entranced by the hypnotizing color of the clouds doing their best to block the sun and shroud our world in darkness, childhood memories filling my thoughts for a brief moment. "I don't know what he wants, but I'll help by making sure that his plans don't interfere with yours." It was the most I could promise at the moment.

Hesitantly, Meghan agreed with a nod, eyes still thoughtful and wary as we started back to the place where Puck and Ash were threatening to kill each other. The last thing I heard before they stopped was Robin threatening to shove Ash into an oven, which I found amusing for some reason.

"Ash, I need to go back to the castle. I have something to take care of." I made my expression an emotionless mask, unreadable and unconnected to my thoughts, refusing to let him realize what I was intending. He was silent for a long moment, his gaze unhesitant as he tried to decipher mine, and I feared that he could somehow read my mind.

"Fine. See you there." He turned away, a new set of footprints embedded in the snow where he walked, his words implications of unspoken trust. Afraid he would be able to read my thoughts, I hurried away, cloaked invisible by a veil of Winter glamour, the shadows melting around me to conceal my presence.

My instincts and memory led me to an elevated area shadowed by long trees so closely together that it would have been impossible to find with a mere glance. Sure enough, with close observation, I spotted Narissa's dark eyes almost glowing with what little light managed to penetrate the gloomy clouds. From behind her, I could see how easy it was to spy on Meghan's group, and how hard it would be for them to notice it.

Quietly, I dissolved the glamour that shielded me from view, and I formed an ice crystal in my hand. When I threw it, it landed with a thump inches away from Narissa's face. She spun around, astonished, and my eyes narrowed immediately into an icy glare. "Tell me, are the crystal roses in bloom? Or is it time to watch the deer migrate? There must be some reason you are staring at that particular part of the forest so intently."

The air tingled under the influence of my glamour, easily dropping many degrees in temperature, and there were tiny crackling sounds as frost crawled up the side of trees. It had become an automatic habit when I was unhappy, and I had to say that watching her stare at my brother with such dangerous eyes did little to please me.

For a second, there was surprise in Narissa's expression, but she regained her composure quickly, having been taught to hide her weakness. "No, though I must say that the season for the ice roses is indeed approaching." Her voice was coldly level, sarcasm and obvious dislike underlining her tone.

"What are you doing here?" I asked again, my voice dropping to little above a murmur, though filled with the ice of the world around us.

"Rowan asked me to guard." The way she said it sounded off, like the way I would say something if it was a last-minute excuse.

"He asked you to guard, and nothing else?" In response, she began twirling her hair in her fingers idly, giving no sign of nervousness, though her silence proved her doubt.

I watched her with impatience, waiting for her answer, and she stared back, unwavering. I would have said more, but in an instant, she let out a sharp gasp, and her eyes went wide with surprise. In a swift movement, I drew my sword cautiously as she fell, an iron dagger protruding from her back. Crimson blood stained the snow around her, and the light immediately faded from her eyes in reaction to the deadly metal.

"I never wanted to get involved with the iron…" She trailed off, her voice drowned by the ice that her body slowly became, proof of her demise. I stiffened, not wishing to watch, though as my gaze traveled upward, it met with the gleaming intelligent eyes of the iron fey.

They were of the same species that kidnapped Meghan, and like before, they showed the same amount of incredible unity. I figured that they had thrown the knife together, as it was obviously too heavy for only one of them. No matter how small, I could already see the poison of their presence on the land, and I knew fully well that they would have to be eliminated. I drew Winter glamour to myself, feeling the power of my magic swirl around me like a snowstorm. Careful not to let them get away, in a quick, silent move, I gestured toward them with my arms, and the mini-tornado of freezing temperatures encased their bodies in a crystal of ice.

There was a horrible screeching noise as they screamed, and I winced at the intensity of the noise, though as the mist of my glamour cleared away, their voices fell silent. I exhaled in relief, walking toward the strange block of ice and reluctantly gathering it in my arms, uncomfortable at the slight burn. Mab needed to see this. Though I didn't know how Rowan was involved with this, I sincerely hoped that Narissa had acted on her own, cooperating with the iron fey. After all, no matter how disagreeable he was at times, Rowan was still my brother.

Turning back, I remembered the iron dagger. It had fallen to the ground, and the snow around it was melting at an unnatural rate, considering that snow around here wasn't supposed to melt at all. The crystal flowers that grew along the spot noticeably began to droop, the icy petals slowly wilting and withering to nothing. On reaction, I cast my glamour on the spot, and gave a sigh of relief as ice climbed up the dagger, stopping the land's gradual death. I sheathed my sword and hesitantly held it along with the creatures. Wincing at the uncomfortable proximity to the substance that was known to drain my energy and cause thousands of fey in the human world to fall to their deaths, I decided to return to Ash for a brief moment.

Concluding from the direction of the footsteps that I peered at using Narissa's hiding place, I decided he was headed towards Chillsorrow. The name alone was enough to make me shiver, though I felt no cold sting my skin.

The first thing I saw when I first approached Chillsorrow was the cait sith, eyes showing unspeakable wisdom and age, though posture rather lazy. He was sitting on the steps, and he looked up when I entered, and I couldn't help but muse about how fitting a name Grim really was. He would certainly feel grim if he knew how easily he was capable of annoying me_. Perhaps I should bring him along with the iron fey to Mother_, I absently thought.

"You are meant to be the connection," the cat finally said, making me blink once in confusion. I turned to question him, but he had already disappeared, morphing out of sight as cait siths were known to do. I stood on the steps for a moment, pondering what he had said, before dismissing it as a joke of some sort and pushing the doors to Chillsorrow open.

Winter fey were scrambling around with disorganized purpose, sign of guests, and a few offered me various things, which I declined. The hallways before me swirled in a complex combination of corridors and doors themselves, making me dizzy by just the sight, and I chose one I was fairly familiar with. After I had walked for a short time, I met Meghan in the hallway, wrapped in a quilt and peering with interest into a room.

Further investigation proved that it was Ash being bandaged by the servants, and I briefly wondered why she found it so interesting. Perhaps it was because she was half-mortal? It was only amazement in her expression then, and so there was no harm in her interest. As I suddenly entered, Ash immediately tensed, hand already in the process of grasping his sword hilt, sign of his sharp battle instincts, and Meghan gave a little jump.

"May I speak to my brother alone?" I questioned, directed towards the servants, and they quickly went away with bows and hurried excuses. Listening carefully, I waited until their footsteps had faded in the hallway before addressing Ash. "I found more of them. Should I tell Mab?"

He nodded. "The courts need to know about this. It's the best way." His gray eyes gleamed with a bit of apprehension though, as if he knew that the chance of it sounding reasonable to the Winter Queen was very small.

Gently, and careful not to accidently force him to make contact with the iron, however indirect, I placed the ice-covered dagger next to him. "I could not leave it lying on our lands. Do you believe Meghan can make use of it? Or shall I make a trip to the Mortal Realm to throw it somewhere?" I asked, giving him the choice. After all, he was the one that would accompany the Summer Princess for most of the journey, with or without an iron dagger.

"Give it to her." He placed his hand on the ice, and I stepped back as it exploded loudly into tiny pieces. I knew Meghan was listening, and now as she entered into the room, Ash was trying to hide the wince of pain he had experienced from touching the iron. "A weapon," he said simply, pointing to the dagger, and Meghan gave a grateful smile before taking it.

"I'm going to Puck," The Summer Princess said, a smile of relief at having a weapon present on her expression.

"Are you sure? Entrusting her with something like that?" I inquired, knowing the answer as soon as I saw his clouded eyes.

"Perhaps. If anything, it will save us the worry of her getting killed." His voice was instinctively bored and emotionless, hiding whatever he failed to reveal. It seemed to me that there were other reasons, but I did not press. Turning towards the door, I began to exit, not looking back, but finally speaking in a soft murmur.

"Make sure to stay safe." It was barely above a whisper, but I somehow knew that he had heard it.

* * *

AN

I think this became a lot longer... Anyway, please review and tell me if my writing improved!

-Lapis Moon


	4. Chapter 4: Winter's Orders

"Diana." Mab's voice sent chills through the room, impatient and falsely civil, though I could tell whatever endurance she had for keeping her temper under control was very, very close to shattering. "Why do you return?" It was such a simple question, yet I drew a sharp breath of surprise anyway, mentally preparing myself for her reaction when she heard the truth. "Rowan told me you were with Ash, fulfilling my orders."

_Of course he did. That way, if Narissa had succeeded, he would have made me look bad, _I thought bitterly, trying my hardest to keep my expression level. "I saw creatures made of iron, and I came back to report to you of their existence." It was ridiculously hard to keep from laughing at how much disbelief accompanied the statement, despite the fact that I had personally seen proof. And that fey couldn't lie, though judging from her expression, I could tell Mab was questioning that fact.

She raised an eyebrow, and the corner of her lips curled into a false smile, disbelief still evident in her icy black eyes. "What is the meaning of this?" Cold chilled the room again, though this time, I was sure it wasn't a figment of my imagination. Hesitantly, I stepped forward, showing no reaction to her complete distrust.

"I have brought you proof." Laying my hand on the block of ice, I felt it tremble with the overflowing amount of glamour, pressure beginning to gather under my touch. Tiny bell-like sounds echoed through the throne room as the ice shattered, pieces falling to the ground like crystal rain, leaving the strange iron fey in my hands. I winced at the direct contact with their iron-clad bodies, and fought against the instincts that were screaming to drop them. "I found many of them in our realm, though Ash and I managed to collapse the cave they were in. I froze these soon after, and left my older brother with the Summer Princess in favor of coming to you."

Cautiously, I approached the Winter Queen, previously frozen iron fey still lying motionless in my hands. For a few moments, they lay there without sound, though there was a quiet hiss, and one of them stirred from its deathly sleep. Instinctively, I flinched, and centuries of experience in battle automatically allowed me to command Winter glamour without conscious thought as my magic made ice encase them once more. I offered the frozen fey to her with an extended hand, eager to rid myself of their presence.

She took it warily, observing the strange block of ice, and I mentally wondered why I had bothered to unfreeze them in the first place. Probably to prove that they were alive, and that I wasn't lying. "I have never seen anything like it before." Mab's voice was filled with cold interest as she spun the ice around, trying to find out what it was. "You are dismissed," she mused, as if it were just an insignificant side note.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

* * *

As I walked through the familiar hallways, I wondered why I hadn't mentioned the incident with Narissa to Mab. Maybe it was because she would only encourage our fighting, and maybe it was because I wasn't entirely sure how much Rowan had to do with her. Lost in my thoughts, I almost jumped in surprise when Sage's voice sounded near me, calm and impassive as always. "For what reason did you return?"

"Ash can handle it by himself." I decided against telling him about the iron fey, knowing that if Mab thought he should be informed, she would inform him. Turning my head to the windows, I tried my best to avoid his gaze, knowing that he would probably be able to tell if I was hiding something. He was much older than me, after all, and even better at shielding his emotions.

"Is my help required?" Sage asked, and I briefly wondered how he had known that something was off. There was no possible way to say yes to that question, even if I did need his help. After all, that would be considered weakness, even if I wasn't usually as cautious around him as I was Rowan.

"No, it's fine," I answered automatically, more of unconscious instinct of avoiding contracts and promises than actual thought. I quickened my pace, and he let me pass, either deciding not to press or really not caring. I let my thoughts take over my mind again, and I mused over how to get to the human world, wanting to find out more about the iron fey. Reasoning that creatures made of the deadly metal were connected to the Mortal realm, I quietly pondered over my destination, searching my mind for the nearest trod.

Only one came to mind, and I exhaled wearily, hating the very thought of even talking to that particular sidhe again. Shard.

* * *

When I reached the entrance of Shard's trod, I had already come up with at least 50 ways to deal with her. I was debating on the top two: whether to freeze her or to glamour myself invisible. I knew the latter was the correct one, but the mere thought of her was tempting me to act differently. Pausing in my walk, I resisted the urge to laugh at the strangeness of the situation, noting that after meeting the cat, my thoughts had become a bit more violent.

Stepping through the gate, reluctantly leaving the lands of Tir Na Nog behind me, I half expected to land right in front of the point of Shard's spear. Instead, I was met with the sight of Shard holding her pointed weapon, though for once, it wasn't directed at me. Her opponent seemed to be the ogre she kept as a pet, eyes twisted with mindless rage.

The furniture around them had been completely destroyed, either clawed at or ripped into pieces, and the clanging of battle continued to sound through the cool air. Deciding that trying to sneak around them was dangerously close to impossible, I froze the floor, covering it with a layer of ice. Frost began crawling up the walls as well, and a slight layer of it settled upon the ogre from the cold, making him a contrast of deadly muscle and a soft covering of web-like snow. Shard's gaze flickered to my direction, her face a mixture of fear and relief (Which is a bit hard to describe, considering that most people don't feel fear and relief at the same time). The ogre just stared, and there was no light of recognition shimmering in his eyes, so I set a cold temperature around him, putting him to sleep.

Shard continued to just stare at me, shivering slightly even though the cold had passed, gaze filled with obvious, barely concealed dislike. I said the only rational thing I could. "You were outsmarted by an ogre?"

"No, _Your Highness_. The Summer Princess set him loose." The sarcasm was exaggerated in her tone as she emphasized the title, though I could see she was still a bit shaken from the battle.

"So, instead of being outsmarted by an ogre, you were outsmarted by a half-human Summer faery," I concluded, successfully aggravating her even more and, if possible, further strengthening her hatred for my existence. "The Queen won't be pleased you let her pass in the first place."

"She was looking for the half-breed, so she should thank me," Shard sneered, voice bursting with overconfidence, and I suddenly felt angered by her words. Debts were never taken lightly in the Nevernever, and she had just implied that my mother owed her one. Before I could do something that right now I would deem as perfectly justifiable (such as freezing her into an icicle), I quickly spun and began to walk hurriedly up the stairs, trying my best to ignore her. Giving a smirk, she quickly followed, and my hand twitched toward the hilt of my sword. _Fool_, I thought with a bit of amusement. _She's been gone from court too long. It's never wise to provoke Mab's children when their attitude clearly implies they want to end your life. _

* * *

AN

Hello again, and thank you for all of my reviews! I have managed to overcome my laziness to rewrite this chapter, and as always, please leave a review.

-Lapis Moon


	5. Chapter 5: Winter's Mystery

The air crackled with gradual cold, my glamour reflecting my irritation as clearly as a mirror, though Shard didn't seem to notice at all, the arrogant smirk never leaving her expression. Vaguely, I noted that though the walls were worn, the stairs seemed rather unused, and I guessed that Shard didn't let many people through the door. "What?" I finally snapped, tone filled with impatience.

"Making sure you don't ruin my dance club." A spark of mischief ignited in the faery's eyes, still flickering with seemingly unshakable overconfidence, and my hand grasped the icy hilt of my sword. Afraid that I was incapable of replying with anything but insults, I kept silent, weaving glamour over myself in a cloak of invisibility. I felt the shadows veil me with their presence, concealing my glamour aura, and as quickly as I could, I slipped through the open door, not wanting to deal with Shard any longer.

Everything, and everyone who was twirling around in barely defined dance patterns was so loud, the explosive noises prompting me to cover my ears. Flinching when a human stumbled a bit too close, eyes clouded over as if he were in a daze, I resisted the urge to draw my sword, knowing well that if I accidently drew attention, it would become harder to leave. Besides, no one should know I was here.

When another faery unintentionally drew too close, I gave an annoyed sigh and my magic faded away, figuring that if people could see I was there, maybe they would bump into me less. Besides, I was here to gather information, which I found hard to do while invisible. "Princess," the faery immediately acknowledged, and I drew a sharp breath of sudden surprise.

"Do you know where humans who like technology usually gather?" I asked, hoping that he wouldn't wonder why I wanted to know something like that. The sidhe didn't press, thankfully, and his wintery blue eyes examined the room, as if deep in thought.

"I do not, however, I can direct you to someone who does." Subtly, he nodded his head toward the door, an implication that this place was too easily spied on to talk. Instinctively, I felt wary, my hand resting on my sword as I followed him outside. "Have you heard of the oracle?"

"Through rumors alone, though I doubt their truth. And even then, I don't know much," I admitted reluctantly, searching my memory for anything related to the topic.

"What have you heard, then?" He inquired, and I hesitated, not used to answering questions so readily. Then, common sense reminded me that he was trying to help, whatever his motives, and that I should trust him until he asked for something like my True Name.

"She was dead, was she not?" Deliberately, I emphasized the word 'dead', knowing well that we were fey, and not mortal. Our kind wasn't so easily destroyed.

"No, but I am sure she would prefer the rumors continue to circulate that she was," the sidhe replied with a small smile, eyes gleaming with implications. I hated the games and skills of court, even if they were necessary to survive in the Nevernever, and I preferred to dodge around contracts not exactly spoken. For the sake of calming my nerves, I would rather have the terms of an agreement, if there happened to be one, spelled out word by word, rather than wasting time by playing a pointless guessing game.

"You said before that you could direct me to someone who knew the answer to my question. If you do wish for something in return, what do you want in exchange for sharing that information?" I asked, crossing my arms with a bit of impatience. A group of giggling human girls glanced at Blue Chaos, their eyes blinded by glamour, and quickly walked by us as if we didn't exist. Perhaps to their sight, we didn't.

"Call me Aldin, Princess. And in exchange for the location of the oracle, respecting her wishes, I only request that you tell no one else of her current residence," Aldin answered, amusement dancing on his features. Judging by the pale, almost freezing shade of his eyes, I concluded he was Unseelie, though he didn't seem much like the arrogant opportunists I knew most of my kin to be. And also, he didn't sneer at me the way I knew most Seelie would to my presence, so I concluded he must not serve the Summer court.

Reaching out, he offered me a neatly folded sheet of paper, black ink faintly visible on its surface. I took it cautiously, gently smoothing the creases to read. **_The Historic Voodoo Museum, New Orleans_**. Glancing back to Aldin, I saw him bow and head toward Blue Chaos once more, making me seriously begin to question his motives. Then, the words on the tiny note finally registered themselves as a location in my mind, and I gave a sharp sigh at what they implied.

New Orleans was quite far from here, and to get closer would mean going through another trod in Winter. Of course, it would still include quite a bit of walking through the mortal world, though the other option would be to use the much more conveniently located gate in Summer. Unlike Shard, I wasn't that suicidal, or at least not yet.

Making my way around dozens of deadly things the humans called technology, or getting blasted into pieces by a demon-like queen? Both were considerably dangerous options, though I chose the first, deciding that Titania didn't need another excuse to expand upon her already long list of reasons to hate me. Frankly, I couldn't even begin to recall where the half of them came from, and so I simply concluded that she had pulled them out of air.

Searching my mind for a nearby trod that didn't have a bloodthirsty creature who wanted to kill me, unfortunately, I realized that the wisest option was to simply use Shard's, though the very thought of dealing with her again made me wince. A cloak of invisibility shifted the air, molding me into part of the background, and concealing me from sight. At least, I held onto comfort at the thought that she couldn't possibly annoy what she couldn't see.

Blue Chaos was just as impossibly noisy as it was when I had left, and I mentally wondered how the fey twirling around the floor didn't seem to find it at least a little irritating. Giving a quiet groan, I walked quickly to the basement, finding no reason to stay another unnecessary second. Then, there was an almost imperceptible chill in the air, and I drew a sharp breath, my body tensing for battle, sword already half unsheathed.

Instinctively, my gaze flit quickly to the threat, only to meet the knowing gaze of Aldin. For a moment, I just stared in shocked silence, at a complete loss for words. That shouldn't have been possible. No one should be able to see me. With a shield of carefully casted Winter glamour, even my own siblings shouldn't be able to detect me. Of course, it worked both ways, making me rather nervous that Rowan was perfectly capable of concealing himself from my sight, but Aldin most certainly shouldn't have been able to see me.

He pointed to the paper in my palm, crumpled by my sudden nervousness, and I unfolded it again, glancing at it in amazed curiosity. Letters from each word began to collect at the bottom. An 'M' and a 'U' from museum, an 'S', an 'I', and a 'C' from historic. M-u-s-i-c was spelled on the paper. I looked at Aldin, but, by then, he was already gone. "Music?" I asked in a whisper, almost to myself.

The paper shimmered with glamour, almost as if it had only been a temporary form, its disguise shredded by my words. A delicate key crafted from ice remained in my hand where the key had been, and my first thought how it wasn't possible for a piece of paper to somehow morph into a key, though many things hadn't exactly made sense today.

"Princess. Forgive me for lying. I am Aldin of the Winter Court, Lady Ariella's servant." The deep voice resonated in my head. "Remember this. That key is a gift to be given away. Everything serves a purpose." There was a numbing, almost dizzying feeling that spread through my mind, and I closed my eyes to calm myself down. When I opened them warily, there was a strange key in my hand, and I had no memory of what just happened a few minutes before. All I remembered was a phrase of advice, and the feeling that I had just forgotten something very important.

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AN

This chapter has been edited, and I once more hope it was an improvement. Anyway, please review!

-Lapis Moon


	6. Chapter 6: Winter's Memory

"Isn't she so annoying? Diana, I mean." Whatever pleasant daze I had been in, I was immediately sapped out of by the sound of Shard's sneering voice. Glancing in her direction, I saw that the door to the basement was right behind her, opened just a tiny crack, and it became obvious that I needed to lure her away.

The Winter faery she had been talking to glanced around herself nervously, light turquoise irises shimmering with caution, as if afraid someone might hear. "I don't think you should talk about her like that." _I don't either_, I mentally agreed, though I had enough common sense not to reveal my position. "Some people even say she's the Queen's favorite." The sidhe continued, curling her bluish-white hair around her fingers warily.

Some people were obviously wrong then, because it was painfully apparent that Mab would always favor the one most useful to the throne, which usually happened to be Ash, and occasionally Rowan. Shard rolled her eyes, crossing her arms with conceivable arrogance, though her gaze did sweep quickly through the room anyway. "It doesn't matter." The faery she was talking to seemed to be a very close friend, I noted, who strangely had a lot more common sense.

Fighting in countless battles surrounded by countless different situations, I had realized very early that in terms of advantage, water would serve the Winter fey, as a type of matter very compatible with our glamour. This was a bar, and so I figured there must be liquid somewhere, stretching out my senses to find out. A water fountain bubbled nearby, water flowing steadily through the pipes, and using a lot of concentration, I sent a wave of cold towards it, careful to freeze it solid. There was a few seconds of faint cracking, and the bartender glanced in its direction, eyebrow raised with confusion. "Shard! The water fountain's malfunctioning!" he called, causing Shard to give an exasperated sigh.

She left to fix it, and the faery she was talking to glanced around again, murmuring something about Mab's revenge. I had to repress a snicker, though a quick breath of air escaped my lips anyway, and thankfully no one noticed. Before I could find something else humorous, I made up my mind to quickly leave, lest someone discover my presence.

The snoring of the ogre alerted me to the fact that it was still asleep at least, though I flinched in surprise as he turned over. Eyeing the huge faery cautiously, I continued toward the trod, careful not to awaken the sleeping creature. The scent of snow and the feeling of welcoming cold drifted through the gate, beckoning me slowly closer, and I drew forward without hesitance, my instincts urging me into my realm.

Following a map long before drawn out in my head, I continued towards the correct trod, hand resting on the hilt of my sword in case of an attack. The more I noted that I had come closer, the more I sensed a strange, obvious change in the land, the glamour seemingly weakened by something unknown. I overlooked it for the most part, dismissing it as another illusion cast by my wary mind, a mere result of the confusion swirling in endless circles around me like a storm. But, when I finally approached the gate, I knew that not all of what my senses claimed were an illusion.

The giant that guarded the trod was obviously dead, eyes wide and almost frozen in the horror of his demise. I would have tried to find the culprit, though what I failed to understand was that there was not a single drop of blood on the spotless white snow, something that should have been impossible at the scene of a fey assassination.

My first reaction was apparent worry that now there were things that could kill me without actual pointed weapons, and my second was to tell Mab, though for some reason, a tiny part of my head told me to go to the oracle, though I couldn't at all recall where the idea originated from. Wincing as I stepped over the giant's body, I reluctantly crossed once more into the mortal world, land of humans and tons of deadly iron objects.

Humorously, I had crossed more gates than I cared to in a single day, and I mentally noted to try not to cross anymore, considering that the continuous shifting of background and world was making me dizzy. The humans continued their walks, ambling around me as if I hadn't just come from another dimension, whispering and laughing and talking about subjects that I had no interest in. Their glamour auras were constantly changing, switching color spectrums and moods like a twisting rainbow, and I gave up trying to read their emotions.

With my glamour, I shifted my appearance, trying my best to appear like the mortals around me. A laughing group of human children glanced at me with wide eyes and not a single hint of fear, and I suspected that they could see through my magic. "Hello. Why are you so different?" One of them asked, and I blinked once at the question, pondering a response that wouldn't be considered lying.

"Isn't everyone different?" I inquired softly, a small smile on my usually apathetic expression. The child shook his head, obviously disbelieving, and his friends nodded in synced agreement.

"What are you doing?" He flung his arms around wildly, almost gesturing to the air, and I wondered if he was referring to my glamour.

"Trying to look like you," I responded quietly, suddenly aware that the human adults could perhaps still see me. _And failing, apparently_.

"But everyone is different," he replied innocently, and his mother gave him a sweet smile before pulling her child along, and for once, I was grateful for the intervention of a grown-up.

It was good luck for once that I had been paying attention to my surroundings, for I instinctively ducked just in time to avoid the forceful swing of a deadly club. Glancing around, I realized that the humans would be no help, their eyes heavily clouded by the glamour that separated them from our world. A gang of redcaps moved robotically forward, for once, no vicious grins adorning their cold expressions, and I drew my sword in confusion, not at all understanding what was going on. Either they were angry at the Winter court, or they were being controlled, and I found that it would be certainly helpful if it were the second, considering that I really didn't need a pack of bloodthirsty Unseelie after my life.

Just as I was about to snap out of my utter disbelief and actually make use of the weapon in my hands, the redcaps gave a sharp gasp, before they simply…malfunctioned. There seemed to be no better wording for the situation, as they most resembled the breaking down of a mortal machine now, suddenly falling to the ground with precision, eyes wide with unnamed emotion.

Slowly backing away, my legs quickly broke into a run, instincts screaming at me to get away. Someone knew where I was. And that someone apparently had the power to turn my own against me.

I tentatively pushed the door to the Voodoo museum open, wincing at the dark atmosphere that radiated from the dark decorations on the wall, mysterious and magical. A shadow in the corner moved, and I flinched, hand flying to my sword before I recognized the shape as an old hag, opening her mouth to speak. "I bet that the boy that passed through here with a cat, another boy, and a girl is your brother, correct?" Her voice was raspy and she spoke in a whisper.

"Ash was here?" I stared at her, eyes widened in mild shock. How had he found this place? Nevertheless, his goal had probably been similar to mine. He was searching for the location of the Iron fey.

"Yes. He was searching for the location of the Iron King." Who I now recognized as the oracle gave a half-smile, and I raised an eyebrow, impressed by my half-accurate guess.

"Can you tell me where he is?" Already, though she had yet to reply, I had a feeling that there would be more faery contracts involved, and I mentally hoped that the price wasn't too steep.

"Yes. But in return, I want something. Do you see that music box in the corner? In return for 3 questions, you must fetch me the key. It is an ancient music box that happens to be a Token. I warn you that the key has been lost for many a century. It will not be easy to find." She pointed to the wooden, aged music box in the corner with a long finger, and I saw many layers of dust blanketing the object, further proof of its long life.

The keyhole on its surface began to glow slightly, much to my surprise, and I glanced curiously at the oracle, wondering if that was supposed to happen. A similarly colored light shone from my jacket pocket, the container of the strange ice key, washing my hand with light. I lifted it, and watched in wonder as the key shimmered and cracked, bits of crystal ice falling simply to the floor and dissolving into wisps of fog that curled into the air and vanished away. A now-wooden key fell into my palm, just as aged and old as the music box, and once more, the strange phrase echoed through my head. A gift to be given away.

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AN

Please leave a review!

-Lapis Moon


	7. Chapter 7: Mortal's Dreams

Hesitantly, afraid it would as easily disintegrate into nothing as it appeared, I held my hand out to the oracle, aged key still glittering on the center of my palm. With barely concealed surprise, her eyes were widened for a moment, before she gave a smile and reached for the tiny object, an unspoken agreement to her own terms. "3 questions, Princess of the Unseelie."

Of course, that was more than I expected, and I idly placed a hand over my eyes in consideration. I had only planned for one, though I couldn't say that I was complaining. Smiling at the fact that maybe fate decided to be nice for once, I voiced the most important one first, careful to word it correctly. "Where is the nearest gathering of iron fey?"

The oracle opened her mouth, and a faraway look had distanced her eyes from the world, as if she were seeing something that I could not. In a raspy voice, her answer filled the air with power, and I suppressed a shiver.

_Within the nearest path of trees,_

_There lie the creatures of deadly gray._

_Hidden there are those you seek,_

_The plague to all the ancient fey._

Then, she turned her piercing gaze to me, though it felt more like she was reading my mind than simply staring as she awaited the next question. I had visited this city a long time ago, and my usually-unreliable memory told me she was referring to the park, the nearest home of the dryads. Briefly, I wondered how the iron fey could be 'hidden' there, if some of them took the form of gigantic, yelling, fire-breathing iron horses, though I kept that thought silent, afraid she might think that was an actual question. "Where is my brother, Ash?"

_The Winter child quickly flees,_

_From those whose minds do not believe,_

_He runs from the very ones you seek,_

_In the nearest path of many trees_."

For a moment, that registered itself in my mind as absolutely ridiculous, until I realized that she was still technically fey, and she couldn't lie either. Still, the very thought of Ash fleeing from something made me strangely nervous, fearful for both his situation and for my interpretation skills. After all, I considered the next line to be referring to humans, though if possible, the very thought made the entire passage seem even more impossible. "Where do the iron fey come from?"

_The ones of iron yield from dreams,_

_Born within the kingdom of bane,_

_From mortals in glamour have no belief,_

_They thrive under the Iron King's reign._

If I understood properly, they were still fey then, born from human imagination, though the thoughts that created them weren't of magic and glamour. Technology, perhaps? I covered my eyes again with my hand, a strange sort of panic rising within me. The humans were slowly losing their belief in us. Their dreams had changed so drastically that they had given birth to the iron fey, meant to destroy us the same way science was slowly eliminating magic in their minds.

By the time the shock from that rather scary realization had passed, I glanced up with expressionless eyes to see the oracle slowly disintegrate, and I knew it was time to leave. Carefully, I pushed open the door, noting as I went outside that thankfully, the handles were made of silver. I would have broken into quick run to save time, if the taint of iron hadn't poisoned the air anyway, making me wince as its presence brushed against my throat as I tried to breathe.

Instinctively, I spun to meet the gaze of a mortal, eyes blank and unseeing, much like the redcaps from before, though strangely, he showed no signs of near collapse. He carried a metal pipe, gripping it tightly and emptily swinging it around, the whistle of it traveling through the air making me step back with caution.

With no intention to actually hurt the man, I flung a volley of icy arrows at him, eyes narrowing when he only stepped around the frosted ground, mechanically targeting me again. There were no more options, I grudgingly noted, sending a wave of absolute cold towards the human and freezing him up to his neck. The pipe dropped to the ground with a hollow clang, covered with a layer of snow-like frost, though the feeling of iron did not fade, instead growing stronger.

More humans were approaching, eyes empty and stares hollow, as if they were stuck in a dream, walking forward with a multitude of iron weapons, faces expressionless and unthoughtful. Shooting a glance through the crowd, I could spot the gleam of an iron knife, and my eyes darkened with the realization of how much damage they could possibly inflict. They were human, and so defeating them shouldn't take much effort, but there was a risk for me as well.

Hating the current situation, I took slow steps backwards, before quickly turning and bursting into a full speed run, mentally laughing at myself for fleeing from a group of mortals. The sky was darkening by the time I began to run, not hindering me in the slightest but causing some of the humans to trip (due to the fact that they lacked night vision). I fled as fast as I could in the direction of the forest, dodging metal knives, bats, pipes, and strange devices that made crackling sounds when they hit the ground. Most would say that mob anger caused them to miss. Personally, I just thought that they had terrible aim. Not that I was at all complaining.

An unreliable map roughly drawn from my memory concluded that I was near the park, and I looked to the right to see Ash, glaring ahead as he continued to run forward. He was accompanied by Meghan and Puck (and probably the now-invisible cat), and once more I had a strange urge to laugh at how utterly ridiculous everything was.

I gave a barely audible snicker and approached them, and Puck's carefree expression melted into a sarcastic grin. "Oh, goody. Ice-boy's sister is here," he laughed, and looked away when Meghan shot him a glare. Ash was giving me a dark look, and he seemed to be questioning my sanity, earning himself a shrug in response.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was in a monotone, automatically sounding disinterested, and I was tempted to mirror it, though I stopped myself, knowing it wasn't his fault.

"Currently? Running from mortals." I stole a glance backwards, silently calculating the chances I had of freezing them all into one giant ice block. Unfortunately, they weren't very good.

Ash gave an annoyed sigh, and though his expression didn't change, I caught a hint of exasperation in his stormy eyes. "You know very well what I am referring to."

"Investigating the iron fey," I said blankly, not bothering to come up with a sarcastic response. I didn't bother to elaborate either, until he gestured for me to continue, the irritated light not fading from his gaze. "They were born from human dreams of technology. And they have an Iron king."

"An iron horse, iron bugs, and now an iron king," Puck snorted a laugh, and though Meghan tried not to grin, a smile spread across her lips anyway.

"We knew that long before you told us, though their creation had been but a theory." The cat's voice seemed to melt from the air, and I immediately shot a glare towards him, not wanting to miss the chance to show my obvious dislike before he vanished again. Of course, a few milliseconds was enough for him to run away, though if I stared carefully at the spot he was just at, I could almost feel his feline smirk.

"Nice to see you again, Diana," Meghan commented politely, though she sounded slightly out of breath, and I concluded that being half-human was taking a toll on her.

"And you as well," I responded casually, nervously eyeing the humans moving robotically behind us. I had never before thought that humans were capable of running so fast, though I never thought that Ash could be running alongside Puck without drawing his sword either, and so I simply dismissed it as a strange day. A loud noise rocketed through my eardrums, and I flinched, feeling my heartbeat accelerate with panic. A policeman was behind us, holding a gun, and I heard Puck gasp a split-second later, clutching his ribs as crimson stained his shirt.

Her reaction lightning fast, Meghan stopped her run, eyes widening in panic and shock. Ash drew his sword, and I stumbled to a halt, hastily drawing my icy blade as well. The policeman looked dazed, though he slowly recovered, raising his arm once more to shoot. I raised my weapon, icy mist crawling around its sharp edge as a sign to a spell, though I could already see that it was a bit too late. With a sigh, I silently hoped that if my magic failed, the end would be quick.

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AN

Cliffhanger! I edited this chapter, and as always, please review!

-Lapis Moon


	8. Chapter 8: Autumn's Forest

It never came. I tentatively opened my eyes, almost afraid of what I would find. Meghan was helping Puck run further while Ash was next to me, breathing heavily. In front of us both was a massive ice wall. The humans on the other side hit it with anything they could find. But, fortunately, it held.

"Ash…what?" I looked at him curiously, demanding an explanation.

"My glamour…plus…yours…powerful spell…wall of ice…" Ash was obviously exhausted. I stared at him with wonder. Did he actually just sacrifice tons of his glamour to save me? He turned to me and said nothing, and his gray eyes were sparked with a fairly mischievous light. Somehow, I knew that I would get teased later. For the moment, though, I was grateful.

We headed back towards Meghan and Puck, where they walked into the park, Puck barely conscious.

"Meghan! Go into the park!" I all but shouted at her. "The dryads can help him!" Meghan turned around to nod. Ash ran (relax, brother. It's unlikely that she'll die within the difference of three seconds) to her, helping Puck. Shaking my head, I did the same. The day that I would aid Oberon's court jester. Rowan would laugh for centuries.

I caught a look in Meghan's eyes when Ash's hand accidently brushed hers. She blushed, and the strange light grew. The same light that used to light up Ariella's eyes when Ash would enter the room. Love. Then, as quickly as it appeared, it vanished, leaving me to wonder if I was hallucinating.

It was impossible right? A summer princess would have enough common sense not to fall for a winter prince. Though, from what I had observed, love wasn't something that one could control. Ash and Ariella used to constantly sneak out together, telling us in hushed voices to make something up to tell Mab (Ash, Mother? I'm believe he is…hunting…). This would, of course, earn suspicious looks from Mab. Then Sage would step in (He's in the forest. Do not worry, my queen, he is not up to anything dangerous).

I was shaken from my thoughts when we approached the park and immediately dryads took Robin into their care. They carried him into the trees that were swaying gently in the winds, the dark of the night making the emerald color of their leaves seem sleepy somehow. I heard them reassure Meghan in gentle voices. Ash left her to talk to them in favor of coming over to me.

"Do you know? Why those humans attacked us?" I asked him, my voice hushed and gentle. I saw that the exhaustion was gone from his expression. Fey heal fast, though he would be lacking glamour for a few days if he didn't go back to Tir Na Nog.

"Yes. One of the Iron fey, named Virus I believe, claimed to be one of the king's lieutenants. She said that she had planted iron bugs in their systems to make them obey her." Ash's silver eyes shimmered with hate, and his normally disinterested tone turned angry for a second.

His explanation certainly proved to me why the redcaps acted so strange. Maybe the bugs had touched a vital area. "Are you alright?" I asked him, a bit afraid for the answer.

"Yes. The humans did not hurt me. Meghan convinced me not to harm them. A summer princess was concerned for mere humans." He shook his head in disbelief, smiling a little. It felt as if he was talking to himself as much as he was talking to me. I caught a strange light of fondness in his eyes for a fleeting second. I was really imagining things now.

"Ash. Let me come with you. To the realm of the Iron King." I was worried for him. The last time we confronted the strange fey, Ash had almost been crushed by Ironhorse (I also wanted to give the king naming advice. Ironhorse and Virus seriously lacked creativity). It felt strange to hear my own voice sound so sincere for that second, and I vaguely wondered how long it had been before I had expressed my emotions in my tone.

"No!" Ash's response was so quick, I almost jumped at the ferocity of it. He saw my expression and softened his explanation. "I need you at the court. I want you to keep an eye on Rowan. Besides, I don't get a good feeling about the Iron Kingdom." The last sentence caused his gaze to travel to the sky, and with my faery senses, I could make out a few shimmering stars that were concealed under the darkness of the night. We were quiet for a while, used to being left alone with our own thoughts.

I sighed. There was no arguing with him. Few dared to challenge Ash when he gave them the _come-an-inch-closer-and-I'll-show-you-why-I'm-the- son-of-Mab _glare. Because of this mask, it was literally impossible to reject his wishes when he was sincere. "Very well. Just, stay safe." He looked at me in surprise, not used to anyone being so blunt. Sage, always the dependable oldest brother, would worry, even if he didn't openly show it. I would as well, but I had no way of expressing it in words. From the hesitant smile he offered me though, I could tell that he understood.

I knew that our relationship as siblings did not correspond to Meghan's definition. She was risking her life, her freedom, and her happiness for the sake of her brother. Undoubtedly, I would do the same but between us, there still lacked the obvious, easy love that I see human children show to their own siblings. I knew it was there, and I knew enough of Ash and Sage that they would do the same. The fact that I did not know if Rowan would hurt me in a way.

Ash sighed, "I'll try my best." He stood up and left to go to Meghan. It was also a subtle sign to tell me to go home.

I sighed and headed in the opposite direction. The human mob was still there, trying to break through the wall. I made sure to keep out of view. Suddenly, I heard the rustle of leaves above me and a very familiar voice.

"Hello, Winter Princess." I almost jumped at the sound of Grimalkin, sitting nonchalantly on the branch above me. I turned to glance at the humans, giving a breath of relief when it was apparent they didn't hear us. How they lived with their dull senses was beyond me.

"Hello, cat." I mimicked his nonchalant tone.

"You are to be the connection. Your destiny will unravel itself as time passes." He stared at me with knowing eyes, and for a moment, his gaze was filled with sorrow. He purred then the look disappeared. He pointed to the right, and I saw a nervous dryad step out of the shadows.

"Um…if you like, there is a trod near my tree that leads to the Wyldwood. It is really close to Tir Na Nog… I thought that it was a better option than to go through them." She gestured toward the humans.

I thought for a minute. If this was a trap…But fey couldn't lie. Even so, she was a Summer. I didn't know what to do. Then the cat spoke up.

"Go with her. She speaks truth." I frowned, but realized that it was my only option. I followed her reluctantly toward the center of the park.

She led me toward a great, oak tree. There seemed to be a door engraved in it. She opened it hesitantly, and I followed. We walked through the trod, and we did indeed end up in the Wyldwood. The dryad hastily curtsied and scrambled though the gate. I was alone.

I walked through the Wyldwood, my hand never leaving my sword hilt. The Wyldwood is known for the fey that would jump out randomly at travelers. It was lucky that I did, for it was what saved my life. I felt a hostile presence and I whipped around, blade in hand.

What I saw both scared and shocked me. In front of me stood a great wolf, its fur speckled with twigs and other debris. He sniffed the air then looked down at me, sneering.

"It's good to meet you, little princess. I am the Eldest Hunter." He smirked at my expression of alarm. "Now tell me, before I rip you into shreds, where is the Summer Princess?"

"I am not with her right now." I stated the obvious. It was the only thing that would not give me away. At times like this, I cursed the fact that I couldn't lie.

"Yes, I see that. My orders are to bring her back. And to kill any Winter fey that prevent me from doing so. What are you not telling me, Unseelie Princess?"

I held my sword in front of me like a shield. I would not tell him where Ash was. I stepped back and launched myself into the air, throwing ice arrows at him. He leaped, and most of them missed. However, his size worked to his disadvantage, and one of them hit its mark.

Blood poured from the cut on the wolf's side, staining his silver fur a bright crimson. He growled at me, truly angry now. "I will kill you for that!" He launched himself at me, claws aimed to kill. I froze the ground, slowing him down.

The time in the Mortal World was taking its toll now. I gasped for breath when I realized that I had used too much glamour. I was exhausted. Under normal circumstances, I would have a chance. Now, that sliver of hope was practically nonexistent. If I didn't know any better, I would have sworn that the Fates where following me, determined to make my life miserable. So far, they were succeeding.

I gripped the hilt of my sword and quickly charged the wolf, the iced ground working in my favor. I managed to get a cut on his back before he regained his balance. He stomped the ground, and the vibrations cracked the ice. I ran back a few feet, determined to make my last bits of glamour count. If I failed, I was dead.

I felt the familiar swirl of magic around me, a little weaker than before. I threw it at the wolf, a blizzard of extreme cold and ice. The wolf could not dodge, not with the cracked bits of ice littering the ground. The twister actually picked some shards up, adding to its danger. It swirled around the wolf, who howled in pain. I walked forward, sword in hand. I prepared to deal the final blow.

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AN

Hello! Thank you so much to my readers! I really appreciate you bearing with me (I know I can be a bit unrelated...). Please review and tell me what you think of the story.

-Lapis Moon


	9. Chapter 9: Winter's Awakening

Strange, how, at the times when we should be listening to common sense, our true natures come to the surface and we can't do anything but obey. I stalked toward him like a predator, feeling indescribable anger. It was uncontrollable, and it filled me to the point where I could think of nothing but killing him.

How dare him! How dare he target my brother! I couldn't feel the emptiness of the lack of magic in my body. The exhaustion that should have overcome me didn't matter. I didn't feel it until it consumed me. The twister that was still spinning had been drawing on my glamour in dangerous amounts. It evaporated into the air, and I felt numb. The Unseelie Nature crawled back into its shell within me.

I almost collapsed in exhaustion. The Wolf, freed now, sneered at me menacingly. The strength that had come with my anger had left me. The only thing keeping me conscious was the thought of Ash. Ash, who had depleted his glamour, would stand no chance against this monster. I had to stop it…Before he could get to my brother.

I stumbled and weakly raised my sword, thinking that, should I fall, I would be content that I tried my best. The Wolf ambled toward me, the corner of his lips curled in a cruel smile. I had no energy left. It was too far from Tir Na Nog to draw energy. In a summarized form, I was officially dead.

I sighed impatiently, wanting him to hurry up. I now knew that the worst part of death was waiting for it to happen. I thought of the cat, and a thought made me grin. I had proved him wrong. It was obvious that I would not be this "connection" now (unless of course he meant the connection to the dead).

"Have you gone insane? Ah well, it is your choice. It matters not. You will be unmoving soon." The Wolf, now close enough, raised his paw to claw at me. As it came down, ready to tear me into shreds, I used my sword to block it.

The Wolf pressed harder, and I knew that this was not a battle I could come out unscathed of. At least I would take him down with me. _Hurry Ash_. That was the only thought that came to mind in the face of death. I took my sword, and, with a final burst of strength, stabbed the wolf with it. Unfortunately, nothing was blocking his claws now. In the split second before he started howling, he swatted me away with his razor-sharp claws. Pain like fire spread through me, consuming me.

I didn't scream for I had no energy left for it. I collapsed on the ground, and the last thing I saw before I fell unconscious was the Great Wolf, my sword still buried in his fur, fall in a pool of blood. My last conscious thought was a sort of victory, celebrating the fact that at least I had helped to protect Ash. Then the gentle colors of the emerald forest faded to nothingness.

I opened my eyes tentatively, half expecting to see a ghost reciting the wrongs I had done in my life (Poor guy, he'll be standing up there for centuries just for me). Instead, I awoke to the curious face of a goblin. I gasped, my hand automatically flying to my side. There was nothing there. I blinked around in confusion, only to see the goblin scamper to the far side of the room, alerting the figure in the darkness that I was awake.

"Prince Sage! She's up!" The goblin danced around the figure sitting in the chair. Prince Sage? I blinked again, trying to remember who that was and why the name sounded so familiar. Oh, Sage. I shook off my grogginess. The person in the chair got up, and began walking toward me.

"You okay?" He sounded disinterested, but there was a hint of worry in his green eyes. I nodded. "You've been sleeping for 2 hours. Mother came in here once, threw a fit, froze things, swore revenge, tried to kill inanimate objects, and threatened with a creepy smile that she needed to ponder about something," Sage summarized, his voice calm despite the nature of his words. I blinked at him, thinking that what he just said was probably the most I heard him speak in a few days.

I shook my head, grinning. I felt bad for the Summer Court. Then I remembered the Wolf. "What happened?" I shakily asked, trying my best to erase the memory of the crimson blood split across the forest floor. It had taken away the peaceful setting of the Wyldwood, and I hoped that I never again had to see the red liquid in such an amount.

"Here is your sword." He handed me the icy blade, now devoid of blood. "We found you lying upon the ground unconscious, surrounded by blood. The Wolf was there too." He gestured toward my wounds with graceful movements, and I shivered, remembering the feeling of the creature's claws.

The wounds were probably deep enough to scar. It didn't matter to me though. It would not be the first scar I obtained from hunting. I shivered once again when I remembered the Unseelie Nature clawing at me through the inside, trying to wrest control away from me. "Sage…back there…I lost control. It was only for a minute, but…the Nature…" I would rarely admit weakness, but I found that now, I had little choice

Sage nodded, understanding. I was grateful for that, because if he were Rowan, he would immediately pick upon my moment of weakness. I saw him once, when he had lost control. We were young, and all of us were at Elysium in Summer. The Summer fey had been sneering at us, but nothing had gotten too out of hand. Then, one of the Summers went too far. The Summer Knight had tried to stab us with a sword. Sage had gotten angry, and the look in his eyes had changed. I shuddered to think that it was probably the look in my eyes when I had thought of nothing but to kill.

I climbed out of the bed, sighing in relief when I felt I could walk. The goblin in the corner had left. Speaking of which. "Your attendant is a goblin?"

"No. He was the only one available. Why?" Sage looked at me curiously, probably wondering what I had against goblins.

"Nothing. Just curious," I murmured, not used to admitting my fear. I closed my eyes for a second, watching as images swam across my memory. Sage was silent, and I did not complain. He usually was, and I found that it allowed me to think. There were so many things that I needed to consider, so many things that I wanted to push to the back of my mind in hopes that I would never see them again.

* * *

AN

Hello! Please review and tell me what you think!

-Lapis


	10. Chapter 10: Winter's Wish

Our silence was disrupted when a series of gentle knocks sounded through the door. Sage's green eyes snapped open, awoken from his light nap. His gaze traveled to the door, where one of the servants was announcing something. "Your highnesses? The Queen wants to see you." Glaring at the door, I dismissed the messenger.

Sage sighed, and gave me a silent nod. "I will see you in a few minutes then." I waited until my oldest brother had left the room before grabbing a hairbrush off the vanity and pulling it through my probably messy black hair. I pulled a random gown over my head, not really caring what it looked like as long as I was sure that I wouldn't embarrass myself.

Then I looked at my sword. I wasn't exactly allowed to parade it around like my brothers. Apparently, the court thinks that carrying a weapon in view is "a symbol of strength" and "princely". I, on the other hand, should not do the same because it was "unladylike". I thought that it made no logical sense. No one lectured them about not talking behind our backs and not being complete annoyances but I wasn't allowed to carry a sword?

I rolled my eyes at the ways of the world. I reluctantly put the sword down. Taking a deep breath, my expression slipped into the emotionless façade of a Winter princess. After so long, it was understandably easier for me to simply become like everyone else around me. Unfeeling and cold. Not letting the slightest bit of emotion show on my face, I stepped out into the corridor, ignoring the knights and servants that bowed as I walked past. Personally, I never saw the point to formalities. It was rather obvious that they would abandon loyalties if they were offered something better.

The air was a bit colder than usual, I noted, and following my instincts, I could sense this wasn't going to be a very good day. Normally, that wasn't much different than any other day, and I would have dismissed it without a second thought, but after learning about the iron fey that could potentially destroy us, it was natural to feel wary.

I met Sage in the hallway, staring meaningfully at the rapidly falling snow that signaled a storm outside. Though it was almost always snowing, being as old as we were, it was becoming easier to detect the signs of a fairly uncommonly powerful snowstorm. I noted mentally with amusement how that sentence sounded in my head. It was strange to think of myself as 'old' even if it was technically true. Sage gave a sigh, meaning he noticed my presence, and gave me a nod. He joined me as I walked to the throne room, and I wondered why his gaze kept drifting to the windows.

"Sage?" I asked, drawing him out of his reverie. He stared outside for a minute longer, though I knew he had heard me. It was part of our nature, to be constantly wary. I had no doubt that he possessed the wisdom not to completely lower his guard in this castle.

Turning, he blinked at me, before his green eyes turned thoughtful again. "I feel uneasy. As if this is just a prelude to the true storm." He finally said, and that caused a lot of worry to rise in me. My instincts said the same, but he had just confirmed it, so it was no longer a subject to be easily dismissed.

"As did I." My voice was quiet, and I considered the matter. Ash had said something similar. He too, had felt uneasy of the iron realm. Now, when so many of us had sensed that something was off, it would be too careless to simply throw away the warnings of our intuitions. It might have only been a habit, but I suddenly felt very wary of the people and things around me, automatically searching for the source of the sensed danger.

Sage must have felt the change in my mood (probably because the room had become colder; it was a habit for me.). He looked to me for a second, murmuring something like "it will be alright." We weren't able to lie, so he must have believed his own words to a certain extent. Though I wasn't reassured, I let out a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

I could feel his mood too. He was worried, and wary as well. We were approaching Mab's throne room and I heard creepy laughter that made chills run up my spine. Then there was ominous silence. For a moment, I truly feared that silence. It might have been my imagination, but I could have sworn I heard something crashing.

I pushed open the door, preparing myself for what I would see. It was Mab, with a broken crystal vase at the foot of her throne. She had definitely had one of her infamous temper tantrums. Broken things were littered everywhere, and ice daggers stuck out of some of the furniture. It was further proof of Sage's words, that she had tried to murder inanimate objects.

"Um, Mother…I'm back?" The last part sounded more like a question, and Mab's mood changed so quickly that I briefly wondered if she was the same person. I resisted the urge to take a step backwards, no longer knowing what to expect of her mood.

"Diana! Oh, I'm so glad! Those Summers! Oberon will pay for this!" Sage sighed, and Mab turned to him. For that second, I feared for him, until I saw her expression was still kind and loving. "Sage! Come here darling. You too, Diana." Mab was calling us darling. Either it meant that she was trying to be motherly, or it was a warning to crawl somewhere and pray that you're invisible. Usually, it was the latter.

I scanned the room quickly, trying to look for a hiding place. Thankfully, Mab didn't notice, though Sage looked like he was resisting the urge to sigh. I was impressed at his ability to stay so patient even after Mab's constantly changing moods. If he was having the same concerns as I was, he did a good job of hiding it. I walked warily up to Mab with him following.

"Yes, mother?" For a second, I wondered if I should have addressed her as 'My Queen' instead. It was hard to read her moods fast enough to decide. It seemed she didn't mind, though, merely continuing on as if there was nothing wrong.

"There is a party tonight. The nobles will come and so I want you two to be there. (Note to self: When Mab says 'want' it usually means something along the lines of 'sure, it's your choice. But if you don't, you won't leave this room alive.') Especially you, Sage. Make a good impression." The last line was definitely an order. Sage nodded wordlessly, and I saw a hint of annoyance in his green eyes.

"Good. You are dismissed." She waved her hand at us, telling us to leave. I eagerly headed toward the door (not that I made it obvious. I wasn't suicidal) with Sage behind me. When we left the room (and closed the door behind us), I let out another deep breath. Sage, as usual, said nothing, and I turned to him in curiosity.

"Where's Rowan?" The question had been bothering me for a long time, because Ash was usually the one known for disappearing without a trace. It was unusual for Rowan to leave court for long periods of time, for he actually seemed comfortable here.

"I do not know." Sage replied, and I did not question him on the subject. I was sure he thought it was strange too, because his icy eyes narrowed for a second.

"Where is your wolf?"

"I did not wish to startle you when you woke up." At his response, I blinked in confusion for a second, trying to fully understand what he had been thinking. On a daily basis, whenever I tried to decipher his thoughts, it would give me headaches, but this time it was truly incomprehensible.

"I don't understand your common sense," I finally said.

"Why not?"

"You tell a _goblin_ to wake me up but you're afraid a _wolf_ will scare me?" It was hard to keep the confused tone out of my voice, so I gave up. Sage considered it for a moment.

"I suppose you are right." Sage acknowledged, his voice barely above a murmur. His mind seemed to be on other subjects, because his green eyes seemed almost unfocused. I left him to his thoughts, muttering a goodbye.

As I walked down the stairs, I considered what Rowan had wanted to do. It really didn't seem right, for him to disappear to a place when no one knew where he was. Whenever he went anywhere, I could usually easily find his location. What did he have to hide? And where was Ash? I should have taken down the Wolf, so he wasn't in any known danger. For some reason, that scared me even more. I hated not knowing anything. It only made me more nervous than before.

I stepped into my bedroom. The other rooms in this wing were also mine. I loved reading, so one of them consisted of a small collection that I had smuggled from the castle library. I smiled fondly, remembering when I had taken them.

Then, I remembered the party. The nobles would come, which would have made me dislike it even if I didn't hate social events in general. I hated them for a variety of reasons. All they did was gossip behind our backs. They have to realize that I can hear them even if they cover their mouths with their fans. I rolled my eyes at the thought. Once, I had heard two of the ladies gossiping about me. Apparently, according to them, I was not 'ladylike' enough because I was used to carrying my sword around. On the contrary, I failed to see how getting killed with a sword because you lack the knowledge to use one is 'ladylike'.

Sighing, I walked over to my closet. Personally, I thought that I didn't need so many dresses. I scanned it, looking for one that wouldn't make me so obvious. I had no wish to be the center of attention. However, it couldn't be too plain, because then it would be obvious that I didn't care about the party at all. That was true, but Mab would be displeased. Last time she did that, it didn't end well for me.

Choosing one that was embedded with blue crystals, I picked it up and lay it on the bed, determined to get dressed before the servants caught word and offered help (I'm not a 3 year old. More like hundreds of years old. I'd think that in that time I would have learned how to comb my hair by myself).

I passed the mirror and stole a glance at my eyes, fearing that I would see the Nature. It wasn't there, and I was relieved. The look in Sage's eyes when he had lost control once was terrifying. It was like he didn't have a shred of emotions left. Not a single bit of compassion for his enemy as he raised his sword. Not a single shard of pain when he had been injured. Nothing. In his eyes, there was only darkness.

* * *

AN

Thank you all so much for reading this story! Please remember to review and tell me what you think.

-Lapis Moon


	11. Chapter 11: Winter's Surprise

I nervously fidgeted with the folds of my dress, uncomfortable in something so decorated. I had pulled it on without much trouble, but I had stood in front of the mirror for at least an hour, trying to calm myself down. The more I thought about it, the more it worried me. Ash planned to fight the Iron King. The iron realm was a land full of bane…Would he make it through? Besides, he doesn't have anything more than as sword as a means of defense. Frankly, I didn't see how going to a party and pretending to be interested when nobles bragged about how amazing they were was more important than helping my brother. Another knock sounded, and I grabbed the tiara off the vanity and quickly placed it in my intricately braided black hair.

Then, I put up my mental shields, determined to make it past tonight. I walked confidently to the door, the air around me vibrating with the aura of a Winter Princess. "What?" I asked coldly to the knights waiting in front of the door.

They bowed, then muttered in disinterested voices, "We are to be your escorts." I rolled my eyes at them, keeping up the façade.

"Fine, but hurry. If you fail to keep up, I will not help you." I pitched my voice to sound bored. I had centuries of practice hiding my emotions. We walked through the decorated halls, the knights completely silent. When we approached the ballroom, they stepped in front of me and opened the doors.

I almost groaned out loud. The entire room was filled with crystal decorations, reflecting the light from the chandelier and bathing the room with a warm, golden glow. Mab had never liked gold. I briefly wondered as I entered the ballroom why she made the room so…warm. As soon as I entered, the sons of Winter nobility flocked around me, offering me drinks, dances, and whatever else they assumed was attractive. Their eyes were filled with greed of sorts, and no real emotion or love was present. Not that there was any in my gaze either.

Some of them had tried to look handsome while others just possessed natural beauty, I observed. Though it didn't really matter to me what they looked like. They all had the personalities of typical Winter fey, which made them automatically unattractive. If I was to fall in love, it wouldn't be with people who only wanted to use me for their own personal gain. Though, to be perfectly honest, it would be a lie to say that I hadn't used anyone either.

I watched Sage out of the corner of my eye, observing the people with the same amount of enthusiasm as I was currently feeling. I wondered how much time was left. The death threat of boredom was looming ever closer by the second. Trying not to sigh, I closed my eyes and tried my absolute best to not freeze anything just to make something interesting happen.

Turning back to the nobles rather reluctantly, I regarded the fey boys with a look of boredom. I wasn't interested, no matter how many poses one of them tried to strike. No doubt that their fathers and their mothers wanted nothing more than to have one of their sons a princess, just to gain more political power. I wouldn't lie and say that it wasn't possible, for we had all seen the relationship between Ash and Ariella, but today wasn't a good time to think about such trivial things, because my mind was occupied by more important thoughts.

Still, to not seem like I really wasn't paying attention, I still listened to some of what each of them were saying. When one of them asked for a dance, I accepted, because he was the son of a prominent noble family. I didn't want to offend the nobility by doing something foolish, for I was sure that they had numerous ways to take revenge. I took his offered hand, and he smiled, though there was no kindness in the simple gesture. I could see his family looking quite pleased in the background, probably thinking of all the political advantages their son could gain for them. Not that they would be for long. I didn't like him that way.

The music that drifted through the air was cold, if music could ever be described that way. It didn't do anything to lighten my dark mood, only succeeding in drawing out all the worries in my mind. Sometimes the tempo was slow, and sometimes it was a bit faster, though the general description didn't change. I briefly wondered who had chosen this song to be played at a seemingly celebrating party. Though it couldn't be described as depressing, it wasn't light either. If anything, it was sinister.

I mechanically danced with the faery boy, my movements unenthusiastic. As soon as the music ended, to my relief, and he bowed and gave me another meaningless smile, before politely walking away. I sighed and made my way over to Sage. The faery girls that surrounded him immediately curtsied and scattered, though they went to great lengths to glare at me as soon as they thought I was no longer watching.

"I was about to wake Lupine up." Sage said unenthusiastically. Lupine was the name of his wolf, and I greatly encouraged the idea. Whatever reaction Lupine would cause was undoubtedly more interesting than what was currently happening.

"Are you just as bored as I am?" I watched Sage curiously, who glanced at Mab. She was sitting in one of the three thrones in the front of the room. This room was often used for Elysium, so one of the thrones belonged to the Summer King. The other empty one (thank god it was empty) belonged to his explosive, rather temperamental wife.

By this time, I was greatly tempted to find some hidden corner to lay down and take a nap, for it would surely be less of a waste of time than taking any more part in this useless celebration. The door opened, I vaguely noted, and a phouka seemed to run into the room. She was trying not to be noticed, and it seemed to succeed, for the most part.

Tiaothin the phouka scampered toward us and hurriedly curtsied. She seemed out of breath. "Prince Sage, Princess Diana, it's…Prince Ash. He asked me to tell you to meet him in the gardens. He also told me to make sure that no one else knew," Tiaothin whispered, careful not to attract attention. Although they couldn't hear her, most of the fey nobles that were staring at us were probably curious.

Mab, however, was occupied. She was talking to a Winter noble about something. She seemed engrossed enough in the conversation. I weighed my options. She was definitely going to find out soon. When she did, I would almost wish that I had died of boredom. If I didn't go...After a moment of consideration, I realized that it was not an option. Ash would rarely ask to meet with us privately. It was safe to assume that something was wrong.

"I am going as well." Sage's voice was firm. There was no room for argument in his tone, and I nodded. After the agreement, he silently started towards the door, muttering to a faery girl to tell Mab that he felt ill, and left to his room. She looked like she wanted to faint. I was too much in a hurry to come up with an excuse, and I doubted Mab would believe me anyway, so I followed Sage out of the room.

I hurriedly walked out, annoyed once again at the thousands of layers of silk that made up my gown. When the Winter knights guarding the door looked at us questioningly. Sage, wisely, had glamoured himself invisible already. It was too late for me to do the same, so I told them the same thing Sage had told the sidhe girl. They nodded, skeptical of the fact that I did not look sick. But they didn't argue. It was good to know that the knights had a least a bit of common sense.

I ran as fast I could with the dress. Sage, because he was so unlike a certain one of my brothers, decided to be nice and to let me set the pace. I was irritated by the fact that he didn't look strained at all at this speed. Nevertheless, we soon reached the gardens. And sitting upon the crystal fountain was my brother. Whether it was ultimately a blessing or a curse, Ash was home.

* * *

AN

Ash is back! Please tell me what you think. Review!

-Lapis


	12. Chapter 12: Winter's Return

I stared in disbelief at him. His face was filled with cuts. There was an iron burn on the side of his cheek, and blood dripped steadily from claw marks. Another iron burn went around his neck, and he winced in pain when he tilted his head. His pride kept him composed, though I could see from the look in his gray eyes that he wasn't comfortable with his wounds.

"Ash…what…how…why?" I was so astonished that I forgot how to speak properly. Ash, injured as he was, still decided to conceal the fact by making fun of me. He had developed the habit, like the rest of us, to not easily show pain in front of others. It was perfectly justifiable in the Winter court, but that did not mean I agreed with it. It meant he might have been more injured than his expression let on.

"Calm down and speak English," he sighed, closing his eyes. It seemed to me that he wanted to rest, though I was sure he would get no amount of sleep when Mab found out about his return. Sage looked wordlessly at Ash, his expression stoically unchanged, but his green eyes filled with a bit of relief. He watched his youngest brother for a long moment, before his eyes widened. He quickly walked to Ash and grabbed his arm. I was about to cry out when he pulled Ash's sleeve back to reveal two large iron burns that wrapped around his wrists, the skin red.

"Explain, little brother." Sage looked at him, waiting for his response. Ash blinked, recovering from the suddenness of the question, before letting out a barely audible sigh. Many seconds passed, and Ash said nothing. The air was filled with suffocating silence, before it was broken by Sage's voice, tinted just the slightest bit in impatience. "Why were you in contact with iron?"

I looked at Ash helplessly. I didn't know whether or not we should tell him. Ash met my gaze for a second, then the look in his eyes changed. He was going to trust Sage. "Don't tell Mother of this. Diana already knows. The Summer Princess and I made a deal. I would save her brother from the iron fey and she would come to Winter with me." This time, I swore that I didn't imagine the look of fondness in his eyes. "I went with her, and I grew weak because of iron in the kingdom. I wasn't able to protect her, and she went on, alone for a while." This time, his eyes filled with pain, and I wondered why. Few things could influence Ash's obdurate personality. "She defeated the king, and I came back to heal," Ash finished, watching Sage intently for any sign of a reaction.

Sage said nothing for a long minute, and it made me nervous. It wasn't rare for him to be quiet, for he naturally had few words to say, but his eyes were thoughtful, and I had no way of knowing his thoughts. Finally, he let out a deep breath. "So, Mother knows about this and she didn't tell me?" I nodded, and he sighed. "Rest a day. Before you retrieve the Summer Princess. Mother will not know of this." A feeling of relief rushed over me. Ash and I wouldn't get in trouble then. At least not for telling Sage about the iron fey. With that realization, I took a deep breath, ready to solve all our other problems.

"Ash is not fully recovered. Help me heal him." Sage closed his eyes for a brief moment, and I could feel the air grow tangibly colder as he drew upon his own Winter glamour. I approached them, mirroring Sage's actions. Ash glared at me, not wanting help. Sage, however, ignored his icy stare and started pouring glamour into one of his arms. I did the same. I could feel the cold going into Ash and leaving me. I manipulated it, battling the poison of the iron burn that prevented its quick healing with my magic.

I don't remember how long I stood there besides Sage, healing Ash. I felt it again, the strange instinct inside of me. After thinking about it, I realized that the Unseelie Nature could be overcome by the feeling of love. Love for family and the ones we cared about, for such feeling were like the warmth in a wintery heart. Sage's Nature had come out because the Summer knight had tried to harm what he probably believed was his duty to protect. My own had taken over because I wanted to kill the one that was targeting Ash. It felt so strange, for an Unseelie to think so favorably of such a useless emotion. Though, now that I considered it, I doubted we could so easily feel actual love. Perhaps it was merely warmth in general.

In a way, it was kind of ironic. The Nature could be overcome by love, and yet it was activated by the same feeling. As long as such feelings can keep the Nature locked inside its shell, there was nothing to worry about. As long as it held. As long as it held…

I opened my eyes to find Ash almost completely healed. I realized that I was now extremely tired. Sage's breaths were uneven, though he managed to conceal any other signs of discomfort. I started towards the door, taking a deep breath. I managed to keep my expression level to some extent, and it took all my energy to keep walking.

"Sleep, then go. Tell Meghan I'm glad that she's nothing like her father's wife." I said tiredly to Ash, then walked through the garden doors. The sounds of Sage and Ash following drifted to my ears, and if I listened with the right amount of concentration, I could hear their conversation.

"What happened while I was trying not to die of iron poisoning?" Ash's tone was almost wry, though it still sounded completely disinterested.

"Diana was trying not to die of boredom." Sage's voice sounded less tired, but I knew that he didn't have much glamour right now. By his words, I assumed he knew I was listening. I actually wasn't surprised. Living for so long in this castle, it was natural to develop good perception skills.

"It's true. I was about to. But then I figured it would ruin my reputation. I didn't want a funeral where they announced that I died of boredom," I said, trying my absolute best to keep all the sarcasm out of my tone. It failed anyway, though. "Mother threw another fit. The throne room is a mess." It was definitely be restored by tomorrow, though, so it wasn't the most interesting of news.

"I am far from surprised." Ash said, and I could hear from the lack of tiredness in his tone that his energy level was beginning to recover. Unfortunately, I couldn't say the same for myself. Now we had to go and face Mab's wrath. Great. At the end of today, I had no doubt that I would wish for invisibility.

We walked through the halls back to the dreaded ballroom (actually, I thought it should be named the boring room). The knights pushed open the doors, looking surprised at Ash's disheveled condition. We walked in, and, naturally, all eyes were on us. Mab looked up from her conversation and watched us in surprise. Her expression read 'when did you two leave? Why did I not notice that? And is that Ash with you?' At least it didn't read 'I will kill you two for leaving. Oh, look. Ash. Great. He can die too.'

I walked forward, the crowd parting and whispering amongst themselves (umm, I can hear you…). The nobility seemed to have a talent of forgetting that our hearing was better than theirs. Another irrefutably practical talent was to bore people to death. I wondered if one of the ladies should have been the ones to battle the Wolf. They could start gossiping, and the Wolf's ears were almost guaranteed to bleed to death. Maybe that was why they didn't carry swords.

The corner of my lips twitched slightly, and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing out loud. Mab waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "Tonight we have all had fun. All of you, go home. I need to speak with my children." That, for some reason, sounded like a threat.

* * *

AN

In the next chapter, Meghan will come back. I have changed a few things around. Please review, and tell me if they are improvements!

-Lapis Moon


	13. Chapter 13: Summer's Truth

I watched the nobles leave reluctantly, no doubt wishing that they could stay. Then, I turned to Mab. She looked both relieved, angry, confused, and a bunch of other negative emotions that I would rather see on anyone's expressions other than her. We just stood there for many minutes, trying to decipher the look on her face. When she finally spoke, her voice was deadly calm.

"Ash. Welcome home. Explain to me why you don't have the Summer Princess." Ash flinched at the icy tone of her voice.

"Your Majesty, I made a contract with her. I would help her kill the Iron King and, in return, she would come with me to Winter…" Ash stole a glance at me out of the corner of my eye. I shrugged. There was nothing better to say in this situation. Then Mab turned to me.

"Diana. I'm assuming you knew of this? Why did you not inform me?" Every word that came out of her mouth, the air dropped at least 20 degrees. An official sign that someone was about to get hurt.

"Um…My Queen…I thought that Ash could take care of it…" It was best to be formal at a time like this. Mab glared at me, and an ice dagger missed me by centimeters. I shivered. I had battled dragons, dealt with the nobles, and killed a legendary wolf. It was kind of sad to realize that I was afraid of my own mother…

"Your Majesty…Is this not a good thing? Not only does Ash have knowledge of the Iron Realm, the Summer Princess is also going to come with us on her own terms." Sage stated calmly. Mab relaxed a bit. In the confusion, she had utterly forgotten that Sage wasn't supposed to know about the Iron fey.

"I suppose you're right. Ash! Go and fetch her. Now." Her voice was practically dripping icicles by the end, and Ash bowed and hurriedly left the room. He was recovered by now, and I was glad of that. I looked at my mother. She was glaring at us (namely me). "Diana."

Wow. Her tone suggests that she isn't pleased…Strangely, this isn't the first time someone has tried to kill me today. "Yes?"

"Don't ever, ever keep something like that from me again." I nodded soundlessly, fearing her wrath. Technically, I didn't say anything, so it wasn't lying. Her expression relaxed, and Sage softly sighed in relief. "Now then! Have some rest, both of you! Tomorrow is a great day! I expect Ash to return soon...(She gave a creepy smile) So I want both of you to be full of energy!" At this point in time, I was almost getting used to her rapidly changing personalities. Almost.

When we had left the throne room, I let a breath that I didn't realize I was holding. Beside me, Sage chuckled. We walked in silence for a while. Then I spoke up. "Where is Rowan?"

"No clue. I think he is supposed to return tomorrow."

"Great. And here I was actually looking forward to tomorrow. He officially ruined tomorrow for me." I sighed, not wanting to deal with him. Sometimes, I wondered if Rowan had given himself up to a small part of the Nature. He didn't have the warmth he used to. Ever since Ash was old enough to give him competition, he changed. I was only a few decades old then. Hmm…maybe 50 in human years? I had no clue how old I was now. I lost count around 400…

Sage chuckled again, quickening his pace. When he reached his rooms, he waved goodbye. I nodded and continued. After I got to my bedroom, I closed the door and changed out of the annoying gown. I grabbed a dagger and hid it under my pillow. In the Winter court, true loyalty is almost nonexistent. It was always wise to be prepared.

I let my drowsiness take over after I was sure that I would survive an assassination attempt. I hadn't noticed I was this tired before. Perhaps it was the loss of glamour?

When I opened my eyes, I was sitting in a field of blue roses. Was this a dream? I hadn't dreamed in so long…I had almost forgotten what it was like to dream. I watched the scene in front of me. It was a memory of when I was little.

The younger version of me skipped among the flowers, laughing in joy. My eyes were filled with pure happiness, and it was almost like I knew no danger or pain. I saw Mab in the background, her face content. I had almost forgotten this place…I remember that she had said something to me here that my younger self was unable to understand.

"Dia, come here." Her voice was so gentle then, and I went to her eagerly. I was truly only 6 years old then, both physically and emotionally. I had forgotten the change in Mab over the centuries. "Dia, do you know? You remind me so much of who I used to be before I became the Queen. I used to be warm too, once. I used to let my emotions show. But, after Winter took over, I forgot what it is like…to feel."

The younger me smiled up at her, not understanding. My dream self gasped. I remembered…Mab had told me that she used to be warm. I had forgotten the gentle voice that she used to talk to me when we were alone. The gentle voice that she never used now.

Then, the scene changed. I watched in horror as the roses morphed into darkness. Mab disappeared, and the younger me looked up, smiling. It was no longer an innocent smile. It was sinister, and it scared me. I heard someone's voice talking.

"You must never lose yourself to the Unseelie court. Don't forget yourself, like your brother did. Your mother has not lost herself yet, though she is now unable to show it. She hides behind more masks then you. Your destiny…" The voice started to fade. I called out to it, but there was no answer. I opened my eyes, finding myself in my room again.

Sunlight filled the room from the windows, and a phouka reached up to close them. She turned to me, smiling. "Good morning, your highness!" Her voice was bright and cheerful. In other words, she was the exact opposite to how I felt right now. I groaned and sat up, blinking the sleep out of my eyes.

"Leave." She nodded, skipping away and shutting the door behind her. I grabbed the hairbrush nearby and ran it hurriedly through my hair, wondering if Ash was back yet. After I was done, I quickly dressed in a simple, blue gown. I left my tiara on the table, hoping that if I didn't wear it, people wouldn't bow to me every time I passed them. I braided my hair absentmindedly, thinking of my dream. Rowan was most likely the one the dream was referring to.

No matter. It was probably just a visual representation of my messed-up imagination. After I looked decent, I walked out into the corridor. When I got to the throne room, I walked through the door tentatively. I wondered if Ash was back yet…Apparently he was. In the throne room, I saw Meghan trying her best not to cry, Sage standing near Mab, looking nonchalant, Ash, staring at Meghan coldly, and Rowan, smirking. Wait…Rowan!? And how in the Nevernever did everyone get up so early?

Ash was looking at Meghan with disgust, but I saw regret in his silver eyes. The question that drifted to me was why Meghan was crying. If she was acting, then I was truly impressed. If not, then why didn't she understand that Ash was being the way he was to protect her?

Everyone looked at me. Mab smiled brightly, and Ash walked up to me, relief in his eyes. He was glad for a distraction. "What is going on?" I questioned curiously.

"Oh, Oberon's daughter looked at Ash, and he told her to be quiet in a hurtful way." Rowan laughed, as if was funny. Frankly, I wanted to tell him to be quiet in a hurtful way. Unfortunately, Mab was there, smiling at me.

"Indeed. Summers are so weak at times." Mab nodded in approval at Rowan, who beamed, happy for the attention. I shot Rowan a look of annoyance, which earned a 'you jealous, little sister?' smirk from him. I rolled my eyes at him. The day I would be jealous of him was the day I would tell Shard that she was smart.

Meghan, who could no longer stand it, fled the room, sobbing. I sighed. "Mother, I wish to go read. May I leave?" Mab nodded. I left the throne room.

I went to the castle library, and randomly plucked a book off the shelf. I didn't even look at the title. I headed to the gardens.

When I was outside, I sat down a random bench and opened the random book to a random page. Quite randomly, it said something in Spanish. How appropriately random. I heard footsteps, and I looked up to see Ash.

"What are you doing?"

"Talking to you. And reading." I held up the book.

"…A Spanish-English dictionary? Does that even qualify as reading? You have strange taste in books." He gave me a questioning look. Ahh, so that was why the first word was in Spanish…

"I was…trying to…learn." I smiled at him, knowing that it made no sense. Technically, I was trying…

"…Okay?" He rolled his eyes. I glared at him, and he pointed. "Rowan followed me here. Then he left to go look at some flowers. I wanted to find him."

"I'll go too." I followed him, and we found Rowan, speaking to someone smugly. I almost dropped the dictionary when I saw Meghan, encased up to her waist in ice.

She turned and saw Ash, who immediately switched into Winter Prince mode. He glared at Rowan, who grinned.

"What are you doing, Rowan?"

"Listen to the Summer Princess. I think she has something to tell you." Rowan smirked, and I felt like throwing the book at him.

Ash turned to leave, and I heard Meghan yell something forbidden. Something that made me actually drop the book. "Ash, I love you!"

AN

Hello, dear readers! Please review! The story will get interesting now.

-Lapis


	14. Chapter 14: Winter's Tears

I was frozen. Rowan saw me, and enthusiastically greeted me. "Hey Diana!" I ignored him. I stared at Meghan in disbelief.

"You're…in…love…with…Ash?" I was shocked. I had thought that it was impossible, and that no one would be foolish enough to do that. No one…

Meghan turned to me, tears running down her cheeks. She then collapsed. I heard Rowan mutter something about humans being weak, but I didn't care. I don't know how long I stood there before he left. It may have been seconds, minutes, or maybe even hours. During that time, some Winter fey carried Meghan back to her room, and I was alone with Ash.

"Ash…Tell me, do you love her?" My voice was shaking, fearing his answer. I almost didn't want to know. If he was, would I have the heart to abandon Winter and support him? I didn't know.

Ash looked away, and I could see his conflicting emotions reflected in his silver eyes. He then closed them for a second, before turning to me. "I don't know. I…the feelings that I once had for Ariella are stirring again. All I know is that I want to stay with her. I want to keep her safe. I'm…sorry if that forces you to choose, but, I can't leave her. Diana, I'm sorry." Then he left without a backwards glance. I was alone.

It seemed that my sense of time was truly malfunctioning, for I simply stood in the snow for a long, long time. I couldn't move from that spot. I couldn't do anything but stand there in shock. Ash wanted to stay with a mortal girl. I don't know why, but that hurt me more than words could explain. He would leave me, Sage, the Queen, everything he's ever known to be with her.

I felt tears form in my eyes, and I blinked them back, shocked. I hadn't cried in centuries. The last time was when Ariella died. That look in Ash's eyes then…It was enough to make me cry. Why was I crying now? I reached up to touch the tears that were rapidly staining my cheeks. I didn't know. I didn't know anything, and it hurt. What was worse was that I couldn't do anything.

I cried for a long time. The emotions that were piling up behind my mask were coming out now, and all of my tears were filled with them. I subconsciously noted that it was getting dark, and I didn't care. I could have just lay in the snow and cried for decades. I cried for every misfortune in my life, and that I couldn't even express them. I cried for the pain that was bottled inside me ever since the reality hit me that my home was full of people who didn't care about me.

I cried for the fact that now even my family was leaving. It tore at me from the inside, and the pain came out as tears. I couldn't stop. All I knew was that now, even Ash had found love. I wanted something to hold on to. Anything. I wanted something that I had been denied my entire life. Hope.

I wanted nothing more than a tiny sliver of hope that, one day, I could be happy. That I could leave this icy kingdom without regrets. That I could find the warmth that was evident in the smiles of those that were truly happy. I smiled wryly and without humor. I couldn't imagine leaving here. I hated it, and yet, part of me was in this kingdom.

It was ironic, but there was certainly nothing that I could do. Nothing. I had realized long ago that something like titles or power was merely a pretty name. In reality, those that pull the strings of our destinies are the only ones with true power. I was powerless. Only a small feather caught in the tornado of life.

I got up, tears still cascading down my face. I stood with some difficulty, and started back toward the castle. The castle that I couldn't escape.

I walked through the halls, thankful that there was no one. I passed Meghan's room, and I realized that it wasn't her fault. I realized that I wanted Ash to genuinely smile again. I wanted him to have the warmth that all the other Winters were denied. He, at least, deserved to be happy. I couldn't however, just leave Winter. I wasn't like Ash.

Something inside me told me that Ash had severed his bonds with this place long ago. That he was always waiting, hoping for a time to leave. He loved his siblings, but I had a feeling that for some reason, his destiny pulled him away from us.

I went into my bedroom, and fell on the bed, exhausted. I let my glamour make the room cold. I knew that I was going to cry again, and I wanted to do it in comfortable conditions. Contrary to what I thought, the cold conditions actually made me drowsy. Soon, I fell into an uncomfortable, uneasy sleep.

When I awoke, I was alone. I thought that was strange. Usually, there would be servants or maids, or someone else to annoy me. Instead, there was no one. I sighed and grabbed a book and began to read, still in bed. I didn't want to wake up yet.

It was probably interesting, though I wasn't really paying attention. My crying stage was already over, and I had decided that I would stay with Winter until I was able to leave the same way as Ash. I reluctantly pulled myself out of bed. I sluggishly pulled on another dress, not bothering to notice color or design. I didn't want to come out of my room today. Definitely not. Not after I calmed down.

Just after I made that declaration to myself, I heard gentle knocks on the door. I reluctantly opened it, surprised to see both Sage and Ash standing in front of the door. Sage sighed when he saw me, and his voice was calm and soft. "Are you alright?"

"No." I was dismayed to find that my voice was so weak and full of pain. Ash looked at me, his gaze filled with sympathy.

"Ash told me about his feelings. I will not tell the Queen of them, and we are asking you to do the same. He is still our brother, and I feel as if we should support him." Sage's calm voice was filled with uncertainty, but, ironically, he sounded confident. I nodded. I had come to the same conclusion.

What happened next was truly up to fate.


	15. Chapter 15: Winter's Planning

I ate the cake that Sage had gotten me, not tasting the sugar in it. Faery food was nice, but today, even an overly sweet cake couldn't cheer me up. Sage had pushed the plate into my hands, telling me to eat. I had glared at him, until I gave in. Usually, I would not eat in my personal library though, today, my mood certainly encouraged it.

I had left my tiara on the dresser again, not wanting people to bow to me. It didn't really work though, much to my disappointment. I sighed, then shook my head. My depression should have passed. I decided to support Ash and do what I could for him. He had smiled when I had told him that, and he was pleased to know that I would, no matter what, still stand by his side.

I pushed the last pieces of my cake around the plate, not wanting to eat it. The chocolate cream smeared onto the plate, and I found it strangely amusing to create shapes in it with my fork. I laughed gently, remembering what I had told Sage when he personally brought the cake to me.

"A prince should be focusing on his duties instead of personally delivering food to his little sister." I had laughed.

Sage smiled slightly. "A princess should be focusing on her duties instead of reading something that you won't remember 3 seconds later."

I had rolled my eyes, then shooed him out. Lupine followed him, her graceful form guarding his shadow, determined not to let anything touch Sage. I was actually considering finding him and then giving the remains to Lupine. I had officially had enough food.

I picked up the plate and opened the door. I walked through the corridors, deep in thought. The servants had said that Meghan was in a coma. I hoped she was alright. I, again, did not hate her. I actually respected her for sacrificing her freedom to save her brother. I would have done the same.

Before I realized it, I was in front of Sage's rooms. Lupine was there, guarding the entrance. I offered my partially finished cake to her. She sniffed me, trying to make sure I wasn't an assassin trying to poison her, and then barked happily, eating the rest. I left her to do that, regretful that I would probably miss Sage's reaction.

I spotted Ash in the hall, and I skipped over to him. Ash smiled when he saw me, and we immediately struck up conversation. Whenever we passed any servants, we would pretend to talk about something normal (so… weather…how is the weather today?). As soon as we were alone again, our discussion would continue.

"Hey, Ash. Do you know my True Name?"

"No. Should I?"

"…I thought you did. Come to think of it, I don't know yours either. All I know is that it starts with Ash."

"And yours starts with Diana." He was right. It did. My True Name was Dianalia' Crescentia Tallyn. I knew that all of our names ended with Tallyn. I had no clue why though. I wonder what Ash's name was.

As we were walking, Sage joined us, holding the cake plate in one hand and looking at me questioningly. I smiled. "I wasn't hungry!"

Sage sighed, exasperated. Then he turned to Ash. "How is Meghan?"

"Fine, though she hasn't woken up yet. I went last night to say sorry. I doubt that she heard me though." Ash frowned, and I knew he was upset.

I smiled. "Make an excuse to Mab or something. Or go talk to her alone. Either way. She'll understand."

"No, she won't. She thinks that I used her feelings." Ash sighed, worry and exhaustion evident in his voice.

Sage continued to walk, deep in thought. "Oh, yes. I was going to tell you that Mab wants to hold another ball after she rejects Oberon at the Exchange." Oh, the Exchange. The time when Oberon would try to offer Mab some Unseelie he had captured in return for Meghan.

I had remembered hearing that two daughters of one of the nobles were in Summer right now. Later, I would definitely conduct a suicide mission to rescue them. Mother would be pleased with me. Rowan would want to kill me, and Ash and Sage would fuss over me for hours.

I would do it after the Exchange though. I knew that those two noble fey girls were not going to be treated like long-lost friends at the court of our ancient enemies. I felt bad for them. And besides, honestly, I wanted a reason to get out of court.

Then again, there was a ball. Oh right. I didn't want to attend. I decide to bring a book. Then maybe I wouldn't be so bored. We were already in front of Mab's throne room by now. We all entered.

"I can't believe that annoying Summer! How dare she fall into a coma? And she fell in love with my favorite son too! Oh, there you are! Come here, all of you." Rowan was already there, glaring at Ash for Mab's comment.

All of us approached her, and she smiled lovingly. "So, I want all of you to investigate the Iron fey within Tir Na Nog. If you find any, try to bring them to me. If not, then come back. But I expect all of you to look in all the corners of our borders. Understand?" We nodded. So that was why she was being unnaturally nice. Oh well, I was glad to get out.

AN

If anyone has any questions, please put them in the reviews. If anyone asks why I chose Diana in the first place, I will answer that in an Author's Note. Thank you again for bearing with me.

-Lapis Moon


	16. Chapter 16: Winter's Searching

_Oh well_…I thought as we walked through Tir Na Nog. We had only walked for 10 minutes or so before Sage stopped. "At this rate, it would take us days to search Tir Na Nog. Let us split up." He was right. It was certainly getting us nowhere. Winter fey would scatter every time they saw us. (am I that scary?) We needed to travel in smaller groups. That way, we wouldn't attract attention.

"Fine. I'll go west." Ash said, and he looked us for confirmation. I shrugged, not really caring. Actually, I would prefer if I didn't go west. There were so many towns on that route, and I had no wish to pass them. Redcaps also lingered around that direction, and it was well known that they obeyed no one. Perhaps Mab and Rowan could persuade them to do things out of fear, but their minds were driven by hunger. I briefly wondered why Ash would chose such a dangerous route.

"Then, I'll take east." Rowan sighed, lacking interest. I felt like he was hiding something. Rowan was the type to always have some kind of evil, selfish plan in his head. Our mother was extremely smart. She just used much too much of her intelligence pondering. It seemed that he had mirrored that trait into his own personality.

We had all inherited enough of her intellect. At least enough so that none of us were extremely stupid. I knew that Rowan distanced himself from us. It didn't take that much common sense to add that to the fact that Rowan had been talking to someone a few days ago and that he was way too happy today. I swore that I saw a shadow of regret flicker in his eyes when he looked at Sage.

Then it was gone. It scared me in a way, that an emotion would be so intense as to cause even Rowan to lose control of it for a second. I wondered what would happen if one's Nature did take over their personality. I reasoned that they would act like Rowan did now. He was selfish, and cared about no one but himself and power. "I'll take north," I announced, turning to Sage. He said nothing, and I took that as confirmation.

"I'm going south then. We'll meet here." Sage's voice was indifferent, and he headed south. I left my brothers to go north. Sage wasn't as competitive as Ash and Rowan, but he was just as powerful if he wished it. In a way, he was more mature, lacking interest in pointless rivalries. I wasn't even included in their competition. I was the youngest, so there wasn't much chance that I would be the Crown Princess. It was a bit cowardly, but in a way, I didn't want the throne. I was afraid of the darkness that seemed to cling so close to all the political power in the Unseelie court.

All those that knew me well knew that I could plan as well as Rowan or Ash. Sage was just as smart. I wondered if it was just royal blood. Then I immediately shook off the thought. Either that theory was false, or Titania was just an exception. She was …reckless. And she did whatever she wanted without thinking of the consequences. Ash was too, in a way. When I had occasionally hunted with him, that much was plain to me. He made use of his intellect, and he was well aware of its existence, but he seemed to purposely avoid safety. It had always worried me, and I was sure that he was still mourning over Ariella. However, he wasn't reckless to the point of being suicidal, so I didn't confront him about it.

I sometimes felt like I was the connection between my brothers. They were much too competitive. If that was what connection meant, then it was already fulfilled. I looked around, not finding anything except a wide view of ice, snow, and more ice and snow. If I remember correctly, there was a spriggan that lived near this tree. I hoped that he could help me. It would certainly prove beneficial if he reported something strange.

I knocked tentatively, feeling strange. If I was wrong, it would look like I was knocking on a tree. For the sake of my reputation, I silently prayed to fate that I was right.

"What is it?! This early in the morning!" Indeed, a spriggan came out of the tree. I was just about to conveniently point out that it was actually afternoon, but thought better of it.

Time to slip into the court mask. "My name is Diana. Tell me, have you ever seen anything out of the ordinary here?" My voice was bored, and I let out a sigh.

"…Diana? Who in Tir Na Nog is that?" His eyes were narrowed in confusion, and I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. I would not show impatience.

"Mab's daughter," I said simply, wanting to get this conversation over with. I had much to do, and I could not spare the time for idle conversation.

"Mab? Who in Tir Na Nog is that?" At this point in time, I was considering the fact that he was lying. After all, few would forget the Queen's name in fear of her wrath.

"…Your Queen…" This time, I couldn't help but sigh.

"…Never heard of her. I need to talk to Queen Mab about this! There is another queen in Tir Na Nog named Mab! Imagine!"

"..." I said nothing. It was obvious that even if he did have information, he would likely fail to recall it. In conclusion, this conversation was a waste of my time.

"Huh? Did you say something?"

"No. Never mind. Have a nice day." I frowned at him. I would get nowhere like this. I turned to leave.

"Wait! Tell me more about this Mab!"

"She's the same person as Queen Mab…I was talking about her." I actually feared for him. If he went into the castle so confused, I had no doubt that the other fey would take advantage of it.

"You're Queen Mab's daughter!?" He was shocked. I was about to mutter something like 'delayed reaction' under my breath. My gaze drifted over the scene in front of me, trying to detect anything out of the ordinary.

"Yes. Now did you see anything unusual?" My voice was only a bit above a murmur, bored and unfocused.

"Yes. You. I've never had the Unseelie Princess here before."

"Seriously. Never mind. I'll go ask someone else." I left him before he could realize something else.

I sighed and continued to walk. Soon, I came into a town. Unseelie fey scampered around. Some were managing shops or small stores, and yelled out bargains. Surprisingly, with my cloak hood up, no one recognized me. That was good. I didn't need to attract attention. I decided to head to the trod that was on the northern border of Tir Na Nog.

If anything was on my side, it would be there. I continued to walk, ignoring a goblin that tried to offer me illegal means of transport. Another goblin asked for my True Name in return for a shiny piece of crystal jewelry.

I wouldn't give it to her. Especially not if I had a whole closet of similar things in the castle. Actually I wondered how she did business that way. There were plenty less expensive ways to get jewelry like that. For instance, one could just ask anyone with a sufficient amount of glamour to freeze one…

I rolled my eyes, and continued through the busy streets. I felt a pull on the corner of my cloak, and my hand flew to the hilt of my sword, prepared to pull it out and fight on a second's notice. Luckily, no one noticed who I was. Or maybe they just didn't care.

I turned to see a random dwarf offer me cookies. I shook my head and picked up my pace, my hand still resting on my sword hilt.

Soon, I made it through the town. I was back in the forest. I continued to walk through the landscape of ice and snow. The Exchange would soon happen. The Scepter of the Seasons would soon be Mab's. It would make her stronger, and her power would reflect the weather in the human world. I looked forward to it.

Maybe then, I would visit the human world. I loved Winter weather there. It wasn't much different than home, but still…

I walked on for a long time before I reached the Northern Gate. At first, nothing was out of the ordinary, until my gaze landed upon the trod. I took a step back, horrified. Something was terribly wrong. There was a patch of crystal flowers that were steadily wilting, as if poisoned. But that was not what had made me fear for my realm. The guardian of the trod lay there, dead.

* * *

AN

Hello! I'm so happy for the reviews! Thank you to all the people that reviewed. Thank to all the people that continue to read Winter's Tale as well!

-Lapis Moon


	17. Chapter 17: Winter's Friend

When I met up with my brothers, we all had the same story. Or at least varied versions of a similar story. There was no iron fey, but the guardians of the trods were dead. Unsurprisingly, this caused some concern. Something was trying to invade. I couldn't think of any other reason to kill all the trod guardians. What scared me was that upon the giant, we saw no blood. Somehow, the threat had managed to kill without directly killing (if that made any sense). What also concerned me was that, as the trods were highly valued, Mab had sent some of the strongest guards to watch over them. If they were killed so easier, it was a bit scary to think of how equally easy it would be for the entire realm to fall.

As we made our way back, no one said anything. This was not unusual, and we were probably all lost in our thoughts, worrying for the future of Tir Na Nog. Or maybe worrying for the future of our lives when Mab found out that the trods were unguarded and the iron fey were nowhere to be seen. She had been skeptical of the concept, but now, she would be downright disbelieving. I predicted that her next mission would be to find out how Ash managed to lie.

When we got there, Ash rushed ahead of us to get to the Queen. Rowan's mouth curled once again into a smirk, and I briefly wondered what he thought was so funny. I said nothing though, concluding that he was just amused at how Ash was desperate to talk to the Queen without us. It was certainly plausible. After all, Ash would be the one most in danger from Mother if Rowan started speaking. When we were all in the throne room, I saw Mab talking to Meghan, her voice clipped and icy. As if she were disgusted to even look at the Summer Princess.

"Oh, welcome back. Did you find anything?" Mab looked at us pointedly. Ash shook his head once, quickly opening his mouth to explain. For the moment, the Summer staring nervously at us had been forgotten. She certainly looked relieved of the fact that Mab had other things to do besides freeze her into a block of solid ice.

"My Queen, I swear that they exist. The guardians of the trods are dead." Ash's voice sounded frustrated. For once, it wasn't disinterested, but rather a forced calm. I was surprised that he was so defensive of the topic, that he would lose control of his emotions, even if it was only for a second. Mab narrowed her eyes, and I had the distinct feeling that she was trying to detect a lie.

"The guardians are dead? Truly? But that is no proof." My theory was confirmed. For some incomprehensible reason, Mab didn't believe us. Despite the fact that I had shown her proof. Despite the fact that my brother had swore that they existed. Despite the fact that fey are incapable of lying.

"Ash, are you sure that they exist?" Rowan smirked at Ash. I glared at him. Rowan was truly a pain at times. It was much too obvious that he only wanted to get Ash into trouble. Mab sighed, and smiled at us. I blinked, confused. Had her mood changed so quickly?

"The Exchange was completed. I have the scepter. It will give me more power now. Later today, a celebration will be held." Mab smiled again, but this time it seemed more sinister. Oh, great. She already had too much power. Any more, and she would be fully capable of sending the entire Nevernever into eternal winter. I wouldn't mind that actually.

I sighed, and Sage's pale green eyes flicked to me for a split second. It was a concealed warning that Mab was in a bad mood, and if I were to annoy her any more, I would be the one in danger of becoming a solid block of ice. I actually wondered if it were possible for me to break the ice from the inside. All of us were capable of countering Mab's freezing spells, but not her magic as the Winter Queen. The magic that she had used on the Summer Princess, with orders never to tell her. I actually felt a bit bad for her, stuck in the Unseelie court with barely sufficient knowledge of fey in general, and with her only means of defense sealed away.

We all left the throne room, Meghan staying a little behind. She kept alternating between glaring at and gazing longingly at Ash. I slowed my pace to match hers. I wondered what had happened. She seemed a lot quieter than last time. I would have to have a little discussion with Rowan later about scaring people for fun (Our discussions tended to involve swords, ice-made projectiles, trying to stab each other with daggers, etc.). Based on what I knew of my second brother, he had probably already made her afraid of the entire Unseelie court.

I stopped walking, and gestured at Meghan to follow, compelled to help. It was partly because I felt bad for her while Rowan kept glaring, and partly because my older brother may or may not be in love with her. She followed me, astonished. I needed to talk to her. Mostly about stabbing Rowan if she got the chance, but Ash was also an important subject. I heard the tapping of her steps stop abruptly as soon as my brothers were out of earshot, and she glared at me. "Were you pretending to be nice too? You're just like them, aren't you? Making fun of the half-breed because you're bored!" Her voice was filled with menace, and she was trying to keep her expression even.

"If I were to be making fun of you, I can assure you that it isn't because I'm bored," I said honestly, closing my eyes tiredly. I turned and continued to walk, not wanting some of the servants to overhear our conversation. She hesitated, before reluctantly following.

"Then why?!" She was still angry. I guessed that whatever Rowan had said and whatever Ash had done made her skeptical of all of us. Actually, a better word would be 'hating' of all of us. I silently cursed Rowan in my mind, annoyed once again at his methods. Her steps were angry, and there was a tiny tremble in her voice that she failed to conceal.

"You're in love with Ash," I said simply. "This entire matter concerns me because, if you somehow manage to make him love you back, he could lose his title as prince of Winter. As a matter of fact, he could lose his life as well."It seemed that she hadn't considered that, because her eyes narrowed and she stared at me like she knew I was lying. But I wasn't. It was the truth. "Though he has seemed happier in a way. Does he want to be happy, or does he not want to take the risk? I support his decision, and it seems he wants to be happy." My voice had turned thoughtful, and I was glad that I had closed the door.

She said nothing for several minutes, her expression one of clear disbelief. I didn't blame her. After all, Ash had been so incredibly cold to her. The silence was relaxing to me, and I paced around my room casually, giving her time to consider her response. She finally spoke, disbelief still lingering in her tone. "So...you don't hate me?" Her voice was almost reluctant to trust, almost afraid that she would be fooled again.

"Not really," I admitted, refusing to reveal more. If I did, it would be considered weakness. Even though we were in Tir Na Nog now, she was still the Summer Princess. My instincts refused to allow me to show weakness in front of the daughter of my ancient enemy.

Meghan smiled, relieved for a second. Then she immediately fixed her expression back into an emotionless mask. She was spending way too much time with Ash. Or maybe it was in self-defense. In order to not get hurt again, she would copy the method of the Winters. After all, we didn't seem to feel.

I sighed. "I don't blame you. For what Ash feels." I turned the door, not wanting to make eye contact. It was strange to me, to show emotions in my words so openly.

Meghan stared at me with wide eyes. "You mean it?"

I smiled wryly. "Was that intended as an insult? I'm full-blooded fey. I don't lie." Actually, sometimes I wish I could. If I could, half of the problems in my life would be solved. But, unfortunately, fate seemed to hate my existence, because they weren't.

Her expression relaxed, and the fear left her eyes. She smiled, happy for an ally. "Sorry that I lost your dagger. It's in the Iron Realm. Ironhorse took it. I have no clue why he would want it though. It's not like he can hold it."

I said nothing, shaking my head to indicate that it was okay. It hadn't been mine. It had belonged to the iron fey. "About Ash. You love him right? If he turns out to love you, you won't push him away will you?" I was worried she would. After all, he had certainly pushed her away. Most people would stop pursuing a Winter prince after he made it clear that he disliked them.

"No! Of course not!" She looked shocked that I would say something like that. "Do you know how he feels about me?"

"To be perfectly honest, I have no idea. How is your brother?" The cause of everything. I was seriously surprised at the fact that one human child could set so many things into motion. Looking at it, I was sure that it would have happened sometime, but the fact that her little brother was the trigger to this entire mess.

"Fine. He's back in the human world. Mom was really surprised when she saw me. When we came home, we were almost killed by a big wolf!"

"…what?" I had to grip the table to steady myself. "But, I got injured…and I was sure that I _stabbed_ him! How in the Nevernever did he…"

Meghan looked at me, confused. "He's immortal, he said. He can't be killed that easily. Ash had hit him with so many ice shards that he looked like a porcupine, but he still didn't die." Well, so had I. Actually, it was further proof that Ash was a better fighter. I had only managed to hit him twice.

"Oh…" I let out a deep breath. "Aren't you going to change out of your mortal clothing? You're expected at the celebration today."

"No. But I need to get back. Bye." She waved goodbye with a smile before leaving. I decided that she was a good friend. At least, she didn't try to manipulate me into contracts like the rest of the world.

* * *

AN

They are officially friends! Please tell me what you think

-Lapis


	18. Chapter 18: Winter's Strength

The celebration was irrevocably boring. I had offered to switch with Sage in the guarding of the scepter. Anything but trying to survive the death threat of boredom. Rowan, on the other hand, seemed comfortable surrounded with Winter sidhe. His voice was filled with confidence as he easily played the game of politics, denying and slipping out of barely concealed contracts, and subtly hinting his own. I watched him for a second, wondering how it was that he seemed so confident here, like he wasn't at all worried of the fact that every other sidhe in the room might secretly want to murder him. Though Rowan seemingly showed more emotion, most of it was false. In a way, he was better at concealing his feelings than any of us.

Mab had sent Sage a look, and he nodded almost unnoticeably. As the heir, it was his job to guard the scepter. Though it seemed boring, there were actually many benefits. The one that I found most appealing was that he was able to get out of this party, even if it meant staring at a sparkly stick the entire duration of it. Though, since he was Sage, I was sure that he could find some way to entertain himself. And besides, he had Lupine next to him, loyally never straying far from him, and glaring at anyone who came too close. It had always impressed me; I was never able to train a familiar.

I saw his glistening eyes scan the room, before they landed upon Meghan. I curiously watched as he made his way over to her, trying his best to ignore the nobles whispering as he passed. I saw Meghan's eyes narrow skeptically, and Sage began to head toward the door. Meghan looked surprised for a second, and hurriedly followed him.

I sighed, and tried to focus on what the noble in front of me was saying. He may have been talking in Italian for all I knew. I think he said something about borders and knights and something else that I had no interest in. Great. I was officially bored now. Even Ash looked like he wanted to disappear.

Sighing for the 10th time in 5 seconds, I frowned at the noble that was trying to manipulate me into a contract. He was terrible at it. He must have forgotten that we couldn't lie, because he kept trying to. Then he would trip over his own words, or start stuttering. I forced a smile onto my face and told him that I should talk to the other guests.

I wandered around the room, hoping for the 3rd time this week for invisibility. How great would it be, if no one noticed my existence here? I would rather not be noticed. I really didn't want to engage in another pointless conversation about politics. It was boring, and yet, at the same time, unnervingly dangerous. If I wasn't careful, I might accidently get manipulated into a contract. It was yet another reason why I thought the best way was to remain quiet. I failed to see how Rowan and Mab could talk to these people without being tempted to summon a blizzard that would sweep all of them out.

When Tiaothin barged into the room screaming, I thought that I wasn't the only one driven mad by all these nobles. Until I heard the reason. "Prince Sage! He is dead!" She was out of breath, like she had ran the length of the entire castle. The meaning of her words didn't hit me until a few moments later. It was like my mind didn't want to comprehend them.

"What!?" For once, Mab took the words right out of my mouth. It was impossible right? Sage was an amazing fighter. He had his sword with him. My mind automatically conjured up at least 50 scenarios that he could easily win. Unless…there was an enemy that he had never encountered before?

I was panicking by the time we reached the room where the scepter was supposed to be. Sure enough, it was gone. Meghan sat by Sage's ice-turned body, crying. I had no tears left. I was done crying. Maybe I didn't cry because the full reality of the situation had yet to hit. I couldn't comprehend the meaning behind those four words. Sage was gone…forever.

Mab was extremely angry, yet I couldn't bring myself to care. The Winter fey screamed for blood, and the anger and pain in their agonized wails wasn't for Sage at all. As they stared down upon his icy figure, the only real emotion they felt was blood thirst. Their pain was anger at the fact that someone had the nerve to murder their prince. Not one of them cared for Sage, not even Rowan. Then I realized. The feeling strongest within me was denial.

I refused to accept Sage's death. And, most of all, I refused to accept that I was of the same blood as Rowan, who just looked at Sage's body with interest mixed with amusement. I refused to accept that I was like the nobles, who cried false tears for one of their precious steps to power. I refused to accept that I was similar to the Winter fey, who screamed for blood and who mourned the loss of an Unseelie Prince. None of them mourned the prince himself.

Ash looked away, his eyes filled with unspeakable pain. Mab's gaze was filled with anger and need for revenge at the loss of one of her sons. She announced that war with Summer had begun, and I could see that she was trying her best not to let her glamour explode in her fury. I didn't care. I didn't care at all. I was still shocked at the fact that I was of the same heritage as the monsters that cared nothing for Sage. No, I refused to believe that. And yet, the Nature inside me fought stronger than ever for control. It wanted to spill blood. It tried to compel me to be like them, like everyone around me.

It whispered to me that I needed to avenge the brother that had taken care of me my entire life. That he would surely want it that way. That I should just forget myself so I could kill the murderers of my precious oldest brother in cold blood.

I thought I saw Meghan get dragged out of the room. Ash came up to me and whispered that he would handle everything, and that I could stay. I was too numb with shock to answer. At one point, even Mab wrapped her arms around me comfortingly. She told me in a sweet, gentle voice that everything was going to be alright. For a moment, she was the kind, sweet mother again, and not the Winter Queen.

But soon, they all left. I was alone with Sage. I vaguely noted Lupine's body sprawled across the bloodied floor. I sat next to Sage, and I let memories flow into me.

It was a dream-like state, and yet I wasn't asleep. I saw Tir Na Nog flashing by me quickly, the colors blurring together. I looked to the side and saw Sage and Ash. They were bickering softly about something, and Sage looked at me with overly familiar green eyes, which, in some vague part of my mind, I knew I would never see again.

I smiled back, and we continued our hunt. I wanted to stay in this world. Some horrible, conscious part of me kept trying to wake me, to tell me something important. But I didn't care. Sage was alive. He wasn't dead. He could never leave me. I would have gladly stayed in this world for a long, long time.

The Sage in the dream looked at me and whispered my name. "Diana…" His voice sounded so strained. That wasn't right. He was supposed to be healthy here. The voice called out again, so soft it was almost nonexistent. "Diana."

I was jerked back to reality by the voice. I was just about to freeze whoever was playing this cruel joke on me when I realized that the voice truly belonged to Sage. "Sage?" There was no answer. With each passing second, I grew surer that it was just a cruel trick that my mind conjured up.

Then, his voice came again. "Over…here…" It was raspy, and he sounded like he was in terrible pain. I followed his voice until I was behind the stand where the scepter was supposed to be. There sat Sage, injured and bleeding, and trying his best to remain conscious, but alive.

AN

Sorry for those that wanted me to stay with the original plot. I didn't want Sage to die...

-Lapis


	19. Chapter 19: Winter's Relief

"Sage?...But I thought that you…" I was shocked beyond words. His breathing was raspy, and he looked like he was about to pass out.

"Made…ice…doll…before…stabbed…but…got injured…" Blood was flowing freely now, staining his white clothes crimson. I hurried to his side, and tried to pour glamour into his wound. There was a sword cut on his side. It wasn't life-threatening, but it was quite deep. It worried me. I hated to see Sage, always the dependable one, in such great pain.

I knew the feeling of cuts as deep as that. The wounds I had received from the wolf were similar. The pain was enough to make anyone unconscious. "Don't talk. It takes too much energy…wait here…I'll get help." I tried to control the shaking of my voice, but to no avail.

I rushed out of the room, trying to find anyone that could help. I needed to hurry! Sage was hurt badly! I quickly rushed through the corridors, trying to find any Winter fey. I entered the throne room to find Mab talking about war with many nobles.

"What is it? To interrupt me like that?"

"Sage is hurt!"

"I know. He's dead. Which is why I plan to do the same to all Summer fey! How dare they assassinate my son!" Her voice was filled with malice, and tinted lightly with pain.

"No…He made an ice doll just before he got stabbed…I found him lying on the floor behind the scepter's stand. He was hiding from whoever tried to kill him. They hurt him badly though, and he's about to faint from blood loss and pain…Mother! Send help…" I was wasting precious time…

"…Truly? He's alright?" Mab's voice lifted in joyous relief, and the nobles beamed. "But the fact doesn't change that Summer tried to kill my children 3 times already! I will not forgive them for sending the Wolf that injured you and Ash. I will certainly not forgive them for trying to assassinate the Crown Prince of Winter. War has begun, daughter. I can hold in my anger no longer. Oberon has gone too far! I have stood by doing naught as all the Summers mocked the Winter court behind our backs. Now he has tried to kill my sons and daughter! I cannot forgive this treachery."

"Mother…"

"My Queen, shall we send for help to aid Crown Prince Sage?"

"Yes. Of course! Send for help immediately! Daughter, stay with your eldest brother. When it is confirmed that he is fine, then come back to me and help me against Summer."

I nodded solemnly. My loyalty lay with my court. Although the Summer Princess was my friend, Mab had said that they tried to murder Sage. I could forgive Oberon's wolf injuring me, but for him to target Ash was unforgivable.

I quickly went back to Sage, who looked like he wanted to go to sleep. I encouraged him to stay awake; a doctor would come soon. I knew that I couldn't take him back to his room without help. The best I could do was try to recover his glamour by giving him some of my own. I concentrated, drawing power out of the familiar cold that surrounded me.

I transferred it to him, and I tried to heal his wounds faster, only to encounter iron poison…Wait… "Sage…who attacked you?"

"Iron….fey…" He smiled weakly at me. I had to tell Mab! The war against Summer was pointless!

"Sage…Mab wants to start a war with Summer over this…"

"Your highnesses! Are you alright?" I mentally rolled my eyes at the healer who had just interrupted me. Well, obviously not. Did he think we called him here because we got bored? Then his eyes rested upon Sage. "Prince Sage!"

He somewhat reminded me of a certain spriggan. Delayed reaction. Strangely, though I've heard it all my life, I couldn't get used to _Prince_ Sage. To me, he was just Sage. That was probably why I hadn't recognized the name when I woke up from being injured. He was just Sage.

"Hm...?" Sage looked up, drowsiness clouding his eyes.

"Ah! No, your highness! Don't fall asleep! Um…look! Look at the pretty colors on this picture! Interesting, right?"

Sage, weak as he was, still rolled his eyes. The corners of my mouth curled into a smile, and even the knights guarding the door snorted a laugh. I sighed. "You have to realize that my brother is _older_ than you."

"Ah, yes…right…I apologize, your highnesses." The healer looked at me. "Princess, please make sure that Prince Sage doesn't fall asleep."

"Sure." I stared straight into Sage's green eyes. "Brother," I chided lightly. "It isn't princely to fall asleep on the floor."

Sage raised an eyebrow at me, and yawned. I frowned at him. This was harder than I thought. Great. I couldn't even keep my brother from falling asleep. Was I that boring? "My Prince, you've been injured by iron!" The healer said this as if it was a revolutionary discovery. The knights by the door looked like they wanted to kill someone.

Sage sighed softly, and he closed his eyes. I was very much tempted to poke him with my sword just to wake him up. The healer gasped and tried to wake him up. "Prince! You mustn't sleep. Doing so would cause the iron burn to heal slower!" He frantically turned to me. "Keep him awake, please! I need to go get medicine!"

Hmm… "Sage! How old are you?"

"…no…clue…" His voice slurred, and he was obviously just about to fall asleep.

One of the knights by the door suddenly shouted, "Prince Ash?! What are you doing here?" Then Sage jerked awake. I was just about to turn around and congratulate the knight for coming up with such a brilliant idea, when I realized that fey couldn't lie. And sure enough, in the doorway stood Ash covered with blood and holding Meghan close.

AN

Ash is back! And Mab wants to start a war with Summer... Oh, by the way, I will start posting previews of the next chapter.

-Lapis Moon

Preview: Winter's Confusion

"Ash!" I was astonished.

"I need to go, now! The scepter is gone, and I need to get it back! Rowan…I injured him. Can you make the Queen understand? I need to go and take Meghan back."

"Ash…There is a limit to how much the Queen can forgive." I was worried. Rowan was still Mab's son. She was known to play favorites. The question was whether or not her choice would be in Ash's favor.

"I know. But I don't have a choice." With that he swept out of the room, Meghan stumbling after him.


	20. Chapter 20: Winter's Confusion

"Ash!" I was astonished.

"I need to go, now! The scepter is gone, and I need to get it back! Rowan…I injured him. Can you make the Queen understand? I need to go and take Meghan back."

"Ash…There is a limit to how much the Queen can forgive." I was worried. Rowan was still Mab's son. She was known to play favorites. The question was whether or not her choice would be in Ash's favor.

"I know. But I don't have a choice." With that he swept out of the room, Meghan stumbling after him. Sage tried to get up, but he just fell back on the floor, gasping for breath. I looked around. The healer had not arrived yet. I called to one of the knights, and he quickly stumbled over, still shocked.

"Go find the healer and tell him to get the medicine for my brother **_now_**_._ The castle is in an uproar, and I need Sage to be healthy. We cannot guarantee that he won't be attacked again." I pitched my voice to make it cold. The room's temperature dropped. The knight nodded and hurriedly left the room with his friend.

"Help…me…up…" Sage was wide awake now, but I wasn't entirely sure that it was a good thing.

"No, brother. I refuse to move you until the healer comes back. You were iron burned…It actually injured you and probably got into your bloodstream. I can't heal that. Your wounds were different from Ash's." I gently pushed him down when he tried to get up again. He had lost too much blood; he was so weak right now that I could easily overpower him.

It was worrying, and every second that passed, I grew more tempted to get up and personally fetch the medicine. But that would mean leaving Sage alone, and, knowing him, he would use the last of his glamour to help push himself up to chase after Ash. Then there was Ash…

I turned to Sage, hoping that asking him for advice would make him content for now. "Sage, do you know of any Winter fey that are loyal to you, and not the Winter Crown? Preferably one that has sworn himself or herself to protect and serve you, and not the Queen."

Sage stopped trying to get up, and I could see his mind turning and searching for a solution. He must have realized what I intended, because he sighed, and the spark of hope in his eyes blinked out. "No…Rowan does…though…"

"I know." I tried to think of any Winter fey that was loyal to Ash or me. Even potential ones were fine. Then, I would make them swear an oath to serve me and me alone. It was how Rowan made the Thornguards so loyal. They obeyed Mab because he ordered them to.

I bit my lip, trying to think of any at all that were willing to part with Mab. None came to mind. Great. Sage must have noticed the change in my mood, because he lay back down and let out a deep breath. I had an idea. It wouldn't heal him, but it would take away some of the pain and exhaustion. "Brother…don't move." I put my hands over his chest, careful to avoid the wound on his side. Then, I began to transfer my glamour to him.

I drew out of the familiar cold, and I felt it leave my hands and enter Sage. It couldn't fight the iron, but it would help. When I was done, I was exhausted, and I saw Sage get up. I was about to protest, but then the healer came in.

"My prince! How in the Nevernever are you able to get up? Princess Diana, why do you look so exhausted?"

"She transferred a large portion of her glamour to me," Sage said simply, the strain mostly gone from his voice.

"It's fine, but can you heal Sage's burn?"

"Of course! Please drink this, your highness." He offered the potion proudly to Sage, who took it and tugged the cap off. He drank it, and handed the bottle back to the healer, who watched him intently for results. The iron burn began to heal.

The healer smiled. "Oh, my prince, usually, I would tell you to stay in Tir Na Nog to recover your glamour, but it seemed that it isn't necessary." He then turned to me. I had a bad feeling about this. "And you, my princess, rest! You have lost too much glamour." He stared at me pointedly, and I sighed.

"Fine, fine. I'll try not to kill myself. But my own business takes priority over my health." Sage sighed quietly at my response. I pulled him out of the room. When we were alone, I looked straight into his pale green eyes. "So, brother dear, where to now?"

"The ballroom." His voice was even, but there was a small bit of concern in his eyes.

"Yes, to the boring room then."

Sage sighed and quickly walked to the ballroom. I followed him, making sure to catch the smallest hint of the possibility that he was still in pain. Fortunately, none were present. When we got to the ballroom, Rowan was on the ground, hurt. He was throwing orders at Thornguards. I heard the words Ash, goblins, bribe, intercept, kill, etc. Those words were probably not good news when used together.

I thought back to the market. I had been in there not long ago. I knew that there were goblins who would offer illegal means of transport out of Tir Na Nog. It was quite obvious that Ash needed to go to Arcadia. Which worried me. King Oberon and Queen Mushroom-Converter were there. They, as the rulers of our ancient enemies, would probably not be kind to an Unseelie Prince.

Which reminded me. As soon as we were alone, I had to ask Sage what had happened. I cleared my throat impatiently, and Rowan turned to me. "Oh, Diana and Sage. Hello. Wait. Sage? How are you…?" The shock present on his face was almost amusing. Then I remembered the fact that he seemed to have cared nothing for his supposed-to-be-dead older brother.

"Rowan. Tell me what happened here," I demanded as he waved the Thornguards out of the room.

"Oh, did you know that Ash was in love with the Summer half-breed?"

"The subject of Ash's love interests really isn't as urgent as the fact that he claims to have injured you. Carry on." I glared at Rowan, who rolled his eyes at me.

"I tried to stop him, but failed apparently. I just sent my Thornguards to capture, if not kill him. He betrayed his court, sister. I'm sure you understand."

"…You!" I glared at him, truly angry now. I immediately pulled ice daggers out of the air despite my shortage of glamour, and would have took aim had Sage not stopped them with his own.

"Diana. Calm down. Let us think this through rationally. Rowan, you sent your own guards to hunt and hurt your own little brother?" Sage's voice was filled with forced calm.

Rowan smiled cruelly. "He practically asked for it by betraying our mother."

Sage's eyes narrowed, and I could see him fighting to regain self-control. He turned to me and spoke slowly. "Go to the Queen, Diana. Tell her all that has happened. I will take care of my devious little brother."

"No. You go…I can't…"

Sage must have heard the hesitation in my voice, because he rushed off. Rowan yelled for guards, and told them to find Ash now. I told them to stay put, but Rowan's words outweighed mine. They ran across the halls, looking around carefully for my brother. I glared at him, and was just about to say something before Mab rushed into the room, followed by Sage, who was trying his best to downplay what Ash had done.

She screamed in fury, and told a random Winter knight to declare Ash a traitor and to tell every single Winter fey that those who find him were to drag him back to the castle. "He can't be injured, but tell them to use force if necessary. I want him back here with that Summer half-breed now!"

"Mother…"

"Diana! Be quiet for a second!"

I had wanted to point out that Rowan had literally just ordered his Thornguards to kill him should they find Ash. "Mother…Summer…" I also wanted to tell her that the Iron fey had taken the scepter. I wanted her to stop the war with Summer.

"Ah, yes. Sage, Diana! Both of you, go to Summer and retrieve the scepter! If you can, rescue the two fey that were captured! That is an order, you two. Don't you dare argue! Go!"

Sage grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the room before I could protest and get myself killed.

* * *

AN

Please review! And now for the preview. Oh, sorry dear readers, but I won't be updating so often. I promise to write at least a chapter a week, though. I'm a bit busy recently. Thank you all so much!

-Lapis Moon

* * *

Preview-

"So, what now?" I had gotten ready for this suicidal mission, and both of us were prepared to leave. "Both of us know that the scepter isn't in Summer."

"I know. But it's Mab's orders." He looked around the snowy landscape, and I got the feeling that he had no wish to leave it either.

"…I have a feeling that I will regret trying to sneak into Arcadia." I sighed. Trespassing a territory that wasn't your own could easily get you killed. Sage sighed as well, and there was no humor in his gaze.

"I know. Oberon's reaction to Mother's declaration of war will not be pleasant."

"Indeed." I smiled sarcastically. "Now, let's march into the court of our ancient enemies, and try not to die."


	21. Chapter 21: Summer's Fury

"So? I don't suppose you have an idea of how to get into the castle without getting killed by our ancient enemies?" I glanced at Sage questioningly, who seemed to be deep in thought. We were in the small forest border that surrounded the castle. We had managed to sneak past the first town. There was another one to pass before we went into the castle.

I wondered how long before we were found out. I doubted that a simple cloak would be able to hide our identities for long. I would also have to control my temper. If I didn't, the Winter magic inside me would definitely come out. Then, we would be dead.

"Let us try to pass the next town. We will think of a plan as we walk." Sage walked casually out of the trees and into the town, pulling me along. I glared at him, and he pretended not to notice. Either that, or he really didn't notice.

The town was bustling with gnomes, satyrs, and whatever other species of fey that one would find in the Summer court. They were all cheerful and happy, racing around and offering people their merchandise. If they found out who we were, however, I had no doubt that their attitude would change.

We ambled through the town, trying to cover our faces with the cloaks without looking suspicious. I bit my lip and tried to look like a typical Summer sidhe. It was pretty difficult because my hair was the wrong color, so I had to go to extreme lengths to hide it. Just then, we heard the clatter of hooves on the stone sidewalk.

Sage took a sharp breath, and began to speed up his pace. We both knew that sound. It meant the arrival of the knights. Sure enough, a Summer knight soon walked into the town. Sage muttered something to me that sounded like 'be normal'. Though, at this point in time, I no longer had a concrete definition of normal.

His horse ambled casually through the crowd, and the knight cleared his throat. "A messenger from Winter has just declared to King Oberon the Winter Court's intention for war. You are to kill all Winter fey that you see. War has begun!" With that declaration, he marched away. By now, I was definitely positive that life hated me. The timing was much too convenient.

"Life hates me." I murmured while Sage sighed quietly. He continued to walk forward, almost desperate to get out of a place crawling with people who wanted to kill us. I followed him, careful not to let the hood slip.

We walked this way until we reached the Summer castle. Sage grabbed my hand and we quietly walked up to the gate, out of sight of the knights guarding it. Sage whispered his plan to me, and I nodded. He threw a rock into the bushes opposite of us, and both knights ran to retrieve it. We both made a cloak of glamour that would make us invisible. Then we sneaked through the front door.

Sage walked through the halls with me following, his hand resting on his sword hilt. He glanced around cautiously before proceeding. We slipped by a random brownie who was too busy dusting the furniture to notice us. I almost had a heart attack when I saw Oberon himself strolling through the halls, looking right at us.

Our glamour would fool anyone who was weaker than us, but, unfortunately, that failed to include the Summer King. He looked straight at us, and his eyes narrowed. He approached us with the regal grace of a King, and he spoke. "Who are you? And why did you glamour yourselves?" Wow. He didn't even know who we were. Sage kept the glamour around him, and I did the same. Hopefully, if he did try to kill us, his subjects would question his sanity for shooting lightning bolts at empty air. That wasn't nearly as much revenge as I wanted on him, but it was better than nothing.

It was Sage who spoke up. "We are here to do something important. Currently, we wish you no harm." His voice was composed, and it showed no sign of the fear that was clawing at me from the inside. Sage was trying to manipulate his words. Unfortunately, Oberon could tell that he added 'currently' for a reason.

"Then say the words. That you are Summer fey loyal to the Summer court." And, we were officially dead. Sage's eyes narrowed, and I could see the look in his gaze. He was trying to come up with a plan. We couldn't get around this one.

"We come in peace to the Summer court, seeking something that is kept by the Summer fey that are loyal to it." I smiled innocently at him. It was a bad idea, but it would give us at least a few minutes before he decided to incinerate us.

Sage was thinking hard now, aware of the distraction that I had caused. The king frowned. "Who are you?"

"I am a hunter that often hunts in the Wyldwood. This is my older brother. As he said, we mean you no harm today." I hoped that it would delude him into thinking that I was from the Wyldwood. Apparently not.

"Remove your hoods." By the time the Erlking said this, Sage had given a resigned sigh. He leaned down and whispered to prepare to run. Before I could stop him, Sage flipped off the hood. The surprise on the King's face would almost be humorous, if the price wasn't the risk of our lives. Before he could recover, Sage grabbed my arm and pulled me down the hall. He drew his sword, and I did the same. I could hear Oberon shouting orders to kill us. Now we were targets of an angry faery king and several angry faery knights. Joy.

We ran out into the gardens, and dodged bushes, trees, roses, random servants, etc. As by a twist of fate, we ended up right into the section where Titania was sipping tea. Her eyes widened before she screamed in fury. By then, the knights had caught up to us. They surrounded the exit of that section, and the faery queen advanced on us, her angry expression promising things worse than death.

Sage muttered something about the fates hating him, and he lowered the point of his sword. He was going to try negotiating. "We come in peace this time. Truly. My sister Diana and I want to know whether or not Summer has stolen the scepter. We also wish to free the two Winter fey that are in Summer." His expression was the perfect mask of calm, and for a second, I almost believed him myself.

Titania glared at us, and I had a feeling that I would not walk out of this alive. As a matter of fact, I doubted that I would walk out at all. I watched as Titania fought to control her voice. "So, children of Mab, do you really think that I would let you just walk out of here after your mother declared war on Summer? You are such fools." She shook her head at us, disbelieving. Actually, I failed to remember expecting to walk out alive.

I spoke up. "No. We didn't expect to. But I warn you, if you or any of the knights dare to attempt to hurt my brother, I swear to you that I will fight until my last breath. I will make sure to take as many of you down with me as possible. Trust me when I say that the numbers will not be in your favor. Winter will lose two fey, but Summer will lose many knights, perhaps an injured queen, and any other fey caught in the battle." My voice was cold, and the temperature around me responded. Sage sent the queen a glare that meant that his terms were the same. Make a move, and both of us would attack. I doubted that the knights could stand against two of the Unseelie royals.

Titania looked like she wanted to kill someone (most likely us), and the knights looked like they wanted to stab us with their swords. I wondered what she would do. "Unseelie Prince and Princess. I guarantee you that you won't leave Summer unscathed. You think that you can actually injure me? I advise you to stop daydreaming." She smirked at us, and the sky darkened.

A flash of lightning streaked across the sky before charging down, aimed for us. Sage raised his sword before using his glamour to create an ice shield. I knew that his power was no match for Titania's. I added my magic to his, supporting him. Then, the strength of the attack increased. I saw Oberon walk into the circle. An official sign that we were dead.

* * *

AN

Please review! And thank you to the people who did.

-Lapis


	22. Chapter 22: Winter's Nature

"Both of you! How dare you infiltrate Arcadia? Mab will pay dearly for this. But first, how do you wish to die?"

I had to think for a minute. "Of lack of belief?" It sounded more like a question. Oberon was obviously not pleased with my response. To die of lack of belief was something that was out of his control. It would likely never happen too.

He scowled at me, and he raised his hand (presumably to try and kill me, though I had no way of confirming this theory), causing lightning to streak across the sky again. Great. I was literally out of glamour from the last attack.

Titania just stood by the side, her expression smug but tinted lightly with regret. Not the 'oh no, he is going to kill children' regret. More like the 'aw, shame. I won't be able to turn them into mushrooms or cabbages, or any other object in my garden' regret.

I raised my sword, prepared to fight. My lack of glamour was definitely going to be annoying, but I had to persevere. I was willing to fight until my last breath. Sage did the same, the tip of his icy blade pointed at Oberon. His eyes were full of determination.

Oberon gave a gesture, and the earth beneath us trembled. Suddenly, large tree roots pierced the earth. A tall oak tree grew out, its branches flailing wildly, trying to stab us. We darted around the garden, splitting up to avoid being stabbed. Mostly because I didn't want to die. Partly because I was quite certain that it would hurt.

"Sage! What now? Are we seriously going to fight the Summer King? That's suicide!" I yelled at him, dodging another branch that whipped out (probably aimed for my neck). Sage jumped to avoid another limb of the tree trying to kill him.

"Diana…I'm going to awaken the Nature. It will help make me stronger. If I don't fight it, then it will give me strength. But, there is a risk…" Sage's voice trailed off. My eyes widened and I leaped to his side.

"No, I'll create a distraction. Go and rescue those fey. Then get out of Arcadia!" I whispered, trying to make sure that Oberon didn't hear us. Trust me when I say that whispering while dodging oak tree branches that are trying to kill you is not easy. I speak from personal experience.

"Why!?" Sage looked at me like I was insane. Which, maybe, I was. But at least I was more rational than him at the moment.

"He heard your plan already! He'll be distracted if we change it. Come on! Just do it!" I whispered. It was a harsh whisper, but still could not be heard. I hoped that Oberon would give me time before deciding that the tree method was too slow. Then he would probably call down lightning or something. That idea was not tempting.

I concentrated (the best one can while dodging killer trees) and tried to draw out the Nature. I felt it there in the darkness of my heart, an area of cold that made even me shiver. It was plain…evil. Even so, I needed to help Sage. I hoped that my will alone would be enough to suppress it once the battle was finished.

The Nature sneered at me, and I cringed at its raspy voice, so like my own. **_So, you have decided to call on me at last. I promise not to disappoint you. After all, this is who you are. _**I may have imagined it, but I almost heard the Nature talk. Mab had described it once as an alternate personality locked inside of us. It was pure darkness, and the pure evil of the Unseelie fey.

I shivered (all this while dodging another tree branch) and the cold spread through me. It consumed me, and I couldn't think. Only the enemy in front of me mattered. The power locked with the Nature spread throughout me, consuming me with cold. It was extremely powerful and, unlike the time with the Wolf, I did not fight it.

It was almost satisfying, to know that I had this kind of power at my disposal. It warmed a small part of me, knowing that this strength was almost my secret. I would use it now. To save Sage. The lack of glamour that was supposed to have made me weak was immediately healed. Truth to be told, I was almost certain that I currently had more glamour than ever.

Oberon looked up at me in surprise, sensing the power that radiated off of me. I was Diana. Princess of the Unseelie fey and daughter of Mab. He shouldn't underestimate me like he did all his usual opponents. Another tree branch snaked out to stab me but as soon as it drew near, it froze and shattered from the extreme cold. I never had that much power before.

Anger and need for blood consumed me when I stared at Oberon. A small part of my mind sighed in relief when Sage ran though the formation of Summer knights, slashing them with his sword. Everyone was too distracted by me to notice. The rest of my mind focused on my enemy.

The rage that spread through me was indescribable. It filled me to the point where now, I could think of nothing but the desire to see the blood of this evil man. It satisfied me when Titania actually stumbled back a step when she saw the look of pure anger burning in my eyes. The air around us grew cold. So cold that I could not remember a time when I had summoned this temperature. Titania and Oberon both shivered, and looked at me with astonishment.

I smiled cruelly at them as another tree branch shattered into nothingness, consumed by the power of my cold. Oberon raised his arm, and I raised my sword. The mist around it almost seemed to glow, reflecting the state of absolute cold that I radiated.

He shot his arm out, and a group of trees soon surrounded me. No matter. All that mattered right now was killing that man! I walked forward, and the cold burst out. I watched in satisfaction as all of them collapsed, revealing Oberon and Titania again. The Summer King's eyes widened, and he stood there openmouthed at the extent of my power.

I didn't care. He dared to try and harm Sage! The thought brought another wave of rage through me. It washed over all my common sense. I was filled with power. The power to take revenge for my kingdom and my kin. I wouldn't push it away.

I felt the cold inside me calm down and it flared, but was not as uncontrollable as before. **_See?_** It purred. **_All you needed was to trust me._** **_My power is your power. I am you, and you are me. Fear not. Learn to understand, and you will not become like your elder brother. He has consumed the Evil Nature. The Winter Nature is evil and horrid but, in compensation, it is a wonderful key to incredible amounts of power. It is your heritage, and it is possible to control it without losing yourself._**

Its voice was softer this time. It was evil and horrid if a small part of me feared it. If I fully embraced it with open arms, then it would bow to my wishes. I understood. I looked up at Oberon and Titania, who were getting ready to try and murder me again. The crazed look that was gleaming in my eyes before had vanished, and they seemed partly relieved.

"King. Tell me the truth about how much you know about the scepter's location. Spare me talk of your groundless theories and accusations. I want nothing but the truth. Should you agree to my terms, I will leave you in peace." My voice was calmer, I noted. It wasn't cold and desperate to kill.

"Fine. Tell Mab that I know nothing. I did not take it; of that you can be certain. Beyond that I do not know." Oberon spoke cautiously, almost fearing that I would become crazy once again. He needn't worry. It was under control now. Still, I feared this newfound power, and I vowed quietly to myself never to use it unless it was necessary.

AN

Sorry again for those of you that don't like the fact that I'm too unrelated. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers. If there are enough reviews, I will write a series of short stories for Winter's Tale. I will take requests for it, too. Basically, it will be filled with stories that you want to read. Please tell me what you would like to be included in Winter's Tale: Short Stories. I once again thank you all for bearing with me.

- (Thanks once again) Lapis Moon


	23. Chapter 23: Winter's Arrival

"That was foolish," Sage said bluntly while pulling the two fey girls behind him. They curiously watched him comment on my reckless idea, staring at Sage with admiring eyes. He sounded bored, disinterested, though it made him seem even angrier somehow. I briefly considered exactly what I had done to make him so upset. Perhaps it was that, ages ago, our mother had specifically told us not to reveal the Nature in front of the Summers? I hadn't been thinking when I had done it, and the treaty had been broken, so I assumed that our reputations to the Seelie weren't very important. Though, the Queen had always been one to care about public appearances, so I could very likely be wrong.

I wanted to point out that he had the same idea, but I figured that getting Sage even angrier would not yield very good results. Theoretically, I would survive his temper, but I seriously had no wish to test it. Besides, he rarely got angry, so when he did, it meant that he was really upset. Usually, if someone irritated Rowan, they would probably wake up as an icicle. If someone irritated Ash, they probably won't wake up at all. If someone irritated Sage, he would pretend that they didn't exist. If he was actually showing any kind of disapproval(he would usually say nothing), I had no clue how angry he was.

"In the end, everything was fine." I refused to meet his green eyes, knowing full well the limits of my own emotional control. Sadly, it was nowhere as perfect as his, and I knew that if his icy gaze were to be full of disappointment, I feared for my emotions. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes for a spilt second.

I heard him sigh, and I briefly stole a glance at him to see him give me a look that signaled that this conversation wasn't over. He didn't want to continue in front of the nobles (Who, again, were staring at Sage like he was a dreamy hero. That annoyed me for some unknown reason). The fey girls had been quietly following us the entire time. They seemed cautious and wary of their surroundings. I didn't blame them. We were not yet in Tir Na Nog, and being so close to the kingdom of our ancient enemies would make anyone nervous. I was still fairly surprised though. Usually, the nobles tried their best not to show fear at all.

"Prince Sage?" One of them spoke up, and Sage didn't even bother to turn around. He had slipped into his mask again, I knew, and his expression was once again devoid of any emotion. Even his icy green eyes didn't betray what he was feeling.

"Hmm?" He pitched his voice to sound bored. We were traveling as fast as we could, and the temperature of the area made me uncomfortable. It seemed to mock me in a way, reminding me that I was still in the territory of my enemy, and that the two most powerful fey of said enemy were beyond angry at me right now. The very thought of what they could do to me with my glamour not fully recovered scared me a bit, but I took care not to show it. Maybe it was instinct, but I had no wish to show any kind of emotion here.

"Know that your kindness is appreciated." She muttered, and her sister glared at her. Whether out of jealousy or anger at her inarticulate 'thank you' was unknown. Nevertheless, I didn't see a better way. If she had said thank you, she would have owed Sage. He knew the game of politics, and, for the sake of his reputation and his position, he would have probably made use of the favor.

"No need." Sage's voice was still bored, though there was a slight hint of exasperation, probably reliving the memory of having many Winter fey girls chasing after his heart. In a way, I had a feeling that they knew that he would never love them. And nor did I believe that they truly loved him. It was much more likely that they pursued him in love because of the title before his name.

I listened to their conversation for a minute before slipping into my thoughts. Where was the scepter now? In the Iron realm? The mortal world? It wasn't in Tir Na Nog or Arcadia. Wherever it was, I needed to find it. I briefly wondered how long it would take for Mab's patience to run out. She was undoubtedly planning war right now. I was not looking forward to the time when she would make those plans into reality. I had no doubt that much would be sacrificed. I had little care for the Summers, but, last time a similar thing happened, many fey from both sides died meaninglessly. The best way to stop the war would be to retrieve the scepter and prove to Mab that the Summers had not taken it.

If it was in the Iron realm, then getting to it would be undoubtedly difficult. I sighed and spoke up, wanting to end the racket coming from the group next to me. "Brother. We are almost to Tir Na Nog." Anything to interrupt the constant sweet talk that the sisters were trying to make to Sage. It seemed to succeed, but both of them glared at me hatefully. I wondered how many enemies I had made in one day.

We were in the Wyldwood now, and the colors of the forest blurred by us at the pace we were traveling. The air was heavy with the scent of the woodland, and it eased me. I was used to this place, and I at least knew where I was going now. Besides, it wasn't filled with bloodthirsty fey that were after my life.

"Indeed we are." Guessing by his tone, Sage was thankful for the distraction as well. The two sisters frowned and began to whisper to each other. They had spent too much time in court. They were beginning to become like the other noble ladies.

I almost glared at them and remarked that I could hear their less than polite comments, but stopped myself. I had no reason to make more enemies. There were enough people who wanted to kill me. Actually, they were probably already my enemies, though they didn't look hateful enough to kill me. Yet.

"How did you two end up in the Summer court?" I really wanted to know, but it could be interpreted as revenge. Sage, after all, would hear the story of their weakness as well. Despite the obvious benefits for both of us, that wasn't my true reason. Had the Seelie fey trespassed our realm? If so, it was better that I knew before Mab. She was angry enough at the Summers. There was no need to push her to the extent of freezing their kingdom to the ground, though it was obvious that she was already very tempted to.

"Well, we were in Tir Na Nog, and then…" Her sentence was cut off when she screamed. Her piercing cry made me jump a little, and her sister automatically closed her eyes in fright. Sage turned around and drew his sword in single graceful movement. He then used it to cut the creature that had fallen from the tree before it harmed the noble. It landed on the ground several feet away, and Sage gave me a pointed look when he identified it. It was one of the Iron fey.

I quickly stabbed it again with my sword and froze it. A small patch of grass near it had wilted. I took the ice cube in my hand and held it so that the contents would be masked before the two sisters opened her eyes. There was a slight wave of shock radiating from the object, but I tried my best to ignore it. I had experienced worse.

The one that had screamed looked at Sage with gratitude, who ignored her. The other noticed the ice block in my arms. "Princess, what is that?"

"Something." I made sure that my tone left no room for argument. The noble frowned and turned to join her sister in their quest to charm Sage. I sighed and ran a bit faster, once again not wanting to listen. Whenever one of them asked a question, Sage would reply with disinterested one-word answers. Still, they persisted, and I was very much tempted to tell them to give up, for it was obvious that my brother would not fall in love with them in the time frame of two minutes. I didn't though, once again reminded of the vast amount of people who wanted to kill me. Instead, I settled on shooting both of them icy glares.

Tir Na Nog was filled with tension. That much was obvious as we walked by. The sounds of weapons being made filled the air, and fey scampered around, armed with swords of crystal or ice. I tried to repress shivers when I saw goblins holding short daggers and laughing evilly. Even if they were fighting for their court, I couldn't help but feel horrified at what they would do. Tir Na Nog was covered with a blanket of pure snow, and I feared that, soon, the color would morph to crimson.

When we walked into the throne room, Mab was pacing back and forth. "Ah! You returned." She looked at the two sisters, who hurriedly curtsied and announced that they were going to find their father, and watched them leave. Then she turned her chilling gaze at us. "So, what did you find out? I see that you don't have the scepter with you. I trust that there is an explanation?" She was tense about the war. Mab didn't show it, but I was sure that she was worried for the Unseelie fey as well.

"Summer did not have the scepter, My Queen." Sage murmured, bowing, and I quickly dropped into a curtsy. She said nothing for several moments, probably considering the possibilities. The heavy silence made me nervous. I kept expecting her to suddenly scream in fury at our failure and destroy everything in sight. She had done it before.

"Are you sure?" She was angry, I could tell. Her voice was frosty, and I wondered why she even asked that question. Sage couldn't lie, and I doubt that he wanted to. Things would be much easier if we were holding the scepter in our hands.

"Yes, Your majesty." His tone was formal, and I marveled at his wisdom. Mab seemed to calm down a bit, realizing that it wasn't his fault.

"Diana!" Mab looked at me, and I swore that if looks could freeze, I would be a solid block of ice. For a long second, I almost feared that she found out about the fact that I had made use of the Nature. During wars, she was always particularly disapproving of me. Maybe it was due to the fact that I was never as useful as my brothers.

"Yes?"

"What is that ice thing you hold in your hand?" Oh. I had almost forgotten. I let out a sigh of relief. At least I would survive for another 5 seconds. I walked up to her cautiously and offered her the frozen fey (I have a feeling that this happened before…Déjà vu…). She took it and examined it in her hand. The many moments of silence in this conversation were truly beginning to scare me. It was as if I was waiting to discover whether I would get killed or not. Actually, I probably was.

"I see. Both of you! Find the scepter and your brother!" We nodded and left (before she could decide that she wanted us to go into Summer again). I pushed the doors open eagerly, glad to have ended that conversation. Glancing out the window, I could vaguely make out the figures of Winter knights, preparing for battle.

Sage silently followed my gaze, saying nothing. As if we were mourning the lives that had not yet been lost.

* * *

AN

Hello. Please review! I sincerely thank those that did. I edited this chapter, and it is now a bit longer. I hope that it has improved as well. As always, I welcome all types of criticism, and I sincerely want to improve my writing.

-Lapis Moon


	24. Chapter 24: Winter's Message

I shuffled restlessly, earning a questioning glance from Sage. Rowan had to go somewhere again, and we were both in the library trying to find a clue to where the scepter was. The iron fey obviously took it, but there was no way to tell Mab right now without being frozen. It was clear that she didn't believe us. That was strange, since I knew she was well aware that fey couldn't lie, though she probably thought the idea of iron fey crazier than the breaking of ancient principles.

I grabbed another book off of the pile that Sage had gathered, claiming that one of them should give us a clue. A bit strangely, I couldn't see the ceiling, which worried me. I doubted that I would have the patience to look through half of them. Looking at the book in my hands, I saw the title read Geography of the United States, or something like that. I flipped through it, bored. Sage was looking at a book on Europe. I imagined the scepter on the top of the Eiffel Tower, and I rolled my eyes at such a ridiculous thought.

Bored, I opened it to a random page, which had the word "California" at the top. It was talking about some technology center, and that made me excited. It would be a place where Iron fey would gather right? I ran my fingers over the title casually, and was shocked to feel Winter glamour in the words.

It was Ash. There was no doubt about it. He was the only one that could have marked it with such pure and powerful Winter glamour. Sage had no reason to, and Rowan was away somewhere. Knowing Ash, he must have sneaked into the castle once after Mab had declared him a traitor. He must have looked through this book. The message was clear. He intended to go there. I was rather surprised he left a message at all. If anyone else had found this, I doubted it would bring him anything but trouble.

More alert now, I ran my fingers over the title again. The font was large, and Ash wasn't the type of person to do things because of coincidence. The fact that some of the letters held more glamour than others probably meant something. CALIFORNIA. Some of the letters held no glamour at all. The one that held the most was an F. Then an R. After that the O. Then the N. None of the other letters shimmered with Ash's magic. Fron? I remembered the strange memory with the key, and said it out loud. "Fron."

Sage said nothing for a long minute, probably considering the meaning of my strange behavior, before finally responding in an indifferent tone. "Is the 'front' relevant?" I knew that with his level of hearing, the possibility of him hearing wrong was near 0. He must have thought I missed the 't' by accident.

I blinked at him, before I nodded in a bit of amazement. "Why did I not think of that?" This caused him to raise his ice-green eyes off the page he was reading, and to stare at me in disinterested curiosity.

"I see." Sage said after a long moment, before returning to his book, probably deciding that I was crazy. I quickly flipped to the cover of the book. Geography of the United States. I ran my hand across it, and some of the letters responded.

S…E…A…S…O…N…Season? The I and D in United was definitely marked, but the glamour was applied in a different way… Ash had filled them differently. Both the I and the D felt more like the letters in 'Fron'. Come to think of it, the R and the O in Fron did feel different…If you dropped them, it would make Fn…Then if you added the I and the D in order from least glamour to greatest, it would make Find. Find Season?

"Sage…If someone told you to 'find season' what would you do?" I really felt bad for bothering him this much, though I didn't have much of a choice.

Sage looked at me patiently, and I was once again impressed by his level of calm. "I would think that it would mean to find the scepter." Again, I wondered how I was unable to think of such an easy solution. It seemed there might actually be something wrong with my mind today. Perhaps boredom really did carry a negative effect.

"The scepter then." I muttered, going back to check if I missed anything. I heard Sage drop the book he was reading and curiously come closer.

"Are you trying to learn how to read by touch?" He asked, though I knew he was already aware that I wasn't. Though I was bored, I wouldn't give up helping Ash so easily. In a way, his theory was justified though. I had forgotten that it looked like I was running my fingers across the page.

"No! Ash left a message. It's pretty recent, so he must have sneaked into the castle. It's a word puzzle. How in Tir Na Nog he had time to conjure one up is beyond me."

Sage reached over and ran his fingers across the page. He blinked twice, and then grabbed the book and turned it to the cover. Then he felt the words on the cover before turning back to the page on California. He sighed, and muttered, "Yes. It definitely says Find Season. But I think that you are missing something."

I looked at him questioningly before he grabbed my hand and ran it over the word 'California' again. He pointed at the F, and told me to pay closer attention to the mark of the glamour. I did so. "The F…It has a third style of glamour put into it. It's faint, but it's there."

Sage nodded and turned it back to the cover. "Look. The E is the same. The F has more of the glamour than E. So Fe."

"Fe?"

"Iron."

"Huh? How did you get iron from Fe? Fron and Front I can understand…But Fe and iron?"

Sage sighed, and muttered something like, "Since when did Ash learn science?" before turning to me. He then stood up and looked at the shelves before pulling out a random book on human chemistry. He flipped through the pages before showing me a chart. "Look. Fe is Ferrum. And it's Latin for Iron."

"Oh…So Ash went to Iron to find season? No…He went to the iron fey to find the scepter of the seasons… right?" The thought wasn't very comforting. He had only his sword and a half-breed (whose powers were sealed at the moment), for protection.

"It seems we must go to California."

* * *

AN

As some of you know, I started the Short Stories. It is more of a story where I can post things that have nothing to do with the main plot. Some of them may be Diana's childhood memories. Anyway, thank you for reading. Please review! ;)

-Lapis Moon


	25. Chapter 25: Mortal's Realm

California was just as one would expect of the mortal world. It was filled with metal. The poison of it spread throughout the air, making me uncomfortable. Also, the sharp colors and angles of the building were not favorable to my eyes. Everywhere around us, people were engaged in conversation, completely unaware of the creatures that now shared their world.

"So, what now?" I asked Sage, trying to hide from a human child that stared at me with wide eyes. Her mother seemed to be on the phone, and that was a relief. I knew from the look on the little girl's eyes that she wanted to tell her mother of our presence.

"We locate the largest technology center," He stated simply, as if that answered all of my questions. Actually, if anything, it gave me even more questions. His icy green eyes were scanning the buildings, trying to detect a sign of what we were searching for.

"How? If you want to go up to a random mortal and ask, then be my guest. Assuming that they see you, they'll probably be so speechless that they can't answer your question. After all, your disguise isn't exactly solid," I muttered. Signs of his fey heritage were still present, and I knew that any child with imagination could see what he really looked like. It was hardly a good idea to ask the mortals.

"I can attempt." His gaze was slightly unfocused, as if he was deep in thought.

"No. I'll handle this by myself." To be perfectly honest, I really had close to no plan. Of course, I assumed that he didn't know that, and I tried to keep it hidden. He was older than me, and he had more influence at court. It would be better if he went home. "After all, I just returned from the mortal world a not too long ago. Can you trust that I know what I'm doing?" I closed my eyes, knowing that he would be able to tell I was not telling the entire truth if he met my gaze.

He hesitated for a moment, before letting out an almost inaudible sigh. "You would do well not to die." It was said in a monotone, almost completely devoid of any emotion.

"…You worry too much." Though it was sadly unclear exactly how much of that worry was really directed towards me.

"The Queen does not think well of Summer. If another Unseelie were to perish, I imagine the outcome would not be favorable." His green eyes looked pained for a second with the reminder of Lupine.

"Just go," I muttered. I wanted to get out of the busy street, filled with many children and some adults that could see us. There were also some fey lurking around (both half and full bloods) and I thought that they would be a good source of information. I was more than sure that they wouldn't forget if Ash happened to pass by.

Sage left to return to Tir Na Nog, and I was alone once more. I quickly left the busy street in favor of going into an alley where I saw a group of redcaps. They looked up when I approached, their bloodthirsty eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Have you seen Ash?"

"Prince Ash just passed here. He asked for directions to the place where there was the most technology." The leader smirked. "Why? Do you want directions too?" A hint of a deal was included in his tone, and I immediately grew annoyed.

"I'm guessing that you aren't going to give them to me for free." It was a reasonable theory. If they were anything like the goblins, they would definitely ask for something in return. Most likely someone's blood. I put on a court mask, making my voice cold. "I do not wish to waste time. Name your price." If it was a ridiculous price (such as my True Name or my sword), I could always threaten to kill them.

"The Prince just told us to tell him or else he would freeze us." I thought that they would be slyer. It was a bit foolish to tell me that. Now I know exactly how to get an answer.

"Okay. That's fine. If you don't tell me, I'll make you into one of the statues lining the Queen's garden," I said confidently. The redcap leader just stared at me, openmouthed in horror and fear.

"…In what the humans call SciCorp." The redcaps backed away in fear. "It's there." He pointed to a building in the west that was extremely tall. It was, conveniently, made of iron. I should have guessed. Life never liked me. As the redcaps ran away, probably targeting a new victim, I tried to think of a plan.

There was no way that I could get into that building without getting burned. It would defy all the faery laws of nature if I actually survived there for more than 5 seconds. Even if I did manage to cast away thousands of years' worth of ancient rules, there was no way to actually infiltrate the place without getting discovered. Great.

And yet, Ash was doing it. How? I thought hard for a minute. If I froze it… No. No way I would have that much glamour. Besides, I failed to see how freezing an entire floor screamed 'inconspicuous'. I would have to think of something else.

I stepped back onto the street in curiosity when I saw one of the humans walk into an iron building. The inside wasn't all iron. It was mostly stone. If I could get inside without touching the floor… I began to think of a plan.

I weaved around the people around the street, trying to get closer to the building. Or maybe they were weaving around me. I couldn't really tell. The children who could see me tried to alert their parents.

"Look, Mommy! There is someone there! She has pointy ears and the air around her is really cold!" The child said in an excited voice. "Is she like the fairies in the movies? Because they have pointy ears too."

"Yes, yes. I'm sure that they do. Wasn't Tinkerbell tiny? You've been watching too many cartoons. I don't know what you're talking about." The grown-up looked annoyed.

I sighed, leaving before the child could compare me to this 'Tinkerbell' again. I was quite sure that our definitions of faery differed quite a lot. The air was filled with the burning scent of metal, and I took care not to touch anything made of the deadly substance. Unfortunately, there were a lot of metal items, and dodging them all took considerable effort on my part.

When I finally got close enough to the building, I looked around for a way in. I used my glamour to make myself look human, doing my best to get rid of the pointy ears. I had to test my disguise. Hmm…there was a human walking down the street…

"Is this SciCorp?" I pointed to the building.

"Yes."

"Thank you." Then I left. Miraculously, she gave me no creepy or questioning looks. I assumed that it was acceptable then. I used glamour to make myself invisible. I knew that I wasn't the best at it (proven by the incident with Shard), and it worried me. Nevertheless, I decided to recklessly rely on fate (have I pointed out that it hates me?) and sneak into the building.

I winced in pain when my fingers accidently brushed the iron door. So that is how much contact with iron hurt…It felt like a burn, and I could feel my glamour unraveling. My energy just disappeared, and I felt both sick and tired at the same time. And I just walked through the front door. Apparently, fate hated me more than I gave it credit for.

Still, it was just a slight contact, and I was able to put up the glamour shield again. It was, though, much weaker than before. The tips of my fingers were red, and I put them on the hilt of my sword. The cold helped, though it still stung. I walked briskly through the first hallway, careful not to make a sound as I stole a glance toward the map.

The scepter was probably on a floor not shown by the map. There was no way to find it except to 'ask' some iron fey. I sighed in exasperation and finally decided to continue walking. I ducked under the strange gate things that asked for a card, careful not to make contact with the metal again. I had learned my lesson the hard way.

Making my way through the hallways was harder than I anticipated. There was metal everywhere, and it weakened me. Soon, the glamour cloak slipped and failed. I had run out of energy to keep it up. I stopped for a second, my breathing raspy. There was no way that I could keep this up. The deadly substance everywhere was draining me. As powerful a faery as my heritage made me, I was still weak to the touch of iron.

Still, I persisted, determined to reach Ash. By the time I encountered a Thornguard…Wait…What?! I looked up and confirmed it. Indeed, it was a Thornguard. I was actually unaware that iron could make one hallucinate…Until the supposed illusion spoke.

"Princess Diana! What are you doing here? No matter. Forgive me, but you cannot live!" He raised his sword, aimed to kill me. I was just about to make what was sure to be a failure attempt to defend myself until I heard a sickeningly familiar voice.

"No. I will kill her." Those four words were said with a monotone, and it made me worried. Fey can't lie, so he really intended to kill me. I looked up to meet his eyes. They had no light of recognition in them. They were still the same gray color, though they were pained. _Ash._

* * *

Sorry it took so long!

-Lapis Moon


	26. Chapter 26: Exile's Queen

"Ash…what?" I didn't get to finish my sentence, because then he raised his blade and tried to kill me. The Thornguard stood by the side, smirking. I was impressed that Ash was still able to move at this speed, even though he was surrounded by so much iron. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for me.

It took all of my strength to draw enough power to block his first attack, and I was nearly overwhelmed with the second. He had never fought this seriously against me before, and I never knew that he was this powerful. There was no way that I could win.

He raised his arm, intending to strike before I managed to dodge out of the way. Surrounded by iron, a smirking Thornguard, and my murderous older brother, I was seriously at my limit. The Unseelie Nature whispered to me, tempting me to use it, and I refused. Last time, I had only barely managed to regain control before attempting to do something that would cause the Summer fey to hunt me for centuries. I had lost myself, and I had promised not to use it so easily.

Especially not in front of my brother. I would never, ever lose myself like that in front of Ash. I may hurt him. Ah, yes. Another thing that gave Ash an advantage. He wasn't afraid to hurt me. I raised my sword as a shield, stepping back because of the force of his blow. Since when was he this strong?

It didn't matter. I had no energy left. I was officially dead. "…Go…Hurry…" I looked up to meet his silver gaze, hurt and strained. His voice was barely above a whisper, and it was now that I realized how sickly he looked. The Thornguard gasped and was about to approach when he said it louder this time. "Diana! Go! I'll kill you if you don't. I don't want to hurt you, so go!"

Blinking, I quickly left, knowing that tone. It was the one that Ash used as a child, on his tutors and the servants. It meant that he wanted something, and he was going to make sure that he would get it. This, of course, was much direr than the situations when he was a child. He wanted me to go, and he meant it. Ash was a bit suicidal due to his protective tendencies, but the look in his eyes was real.

This time, there was no choice but to obey. I quickly burst out of the dangerous building, vaguely hearing sound of pursuit. Oh, for Mab's sake! I had no energy left. I needed to get to Tir Na Nog. Now. There was a trod nearby…I could sense it. It didn't lead to Tir Na Nog, and it was different. It didn't matter. I would bet that it would be easier to get to Tir Na Nog from there. Once I was in my own realm, I would be safe.

We could only sense the presence of a trod if it was close. This one was, and a strange ...faery was running toward it. At least it seemed like a faery. She looked human, but had small furry ears come out of her hair. And she was a bit faster than a human. I thought she was a phouka, but she didn't seem to be as graceful.

No matter. Unless I wanted to be stabbed by iron swords, I had to follow her. No matter where I ended up, if there was some Unseelie, I could convince them to help me. Besides, she (if she was a phouka) would be considered Unseelie, and I hoped that she would know the way to Tir Na Nog.

Because she was Winter, I was able to cloak myself easier. She didn't notice me as I followed her through the trod. Then, when I accidently let the cloak slip, she noticed me. And so did every other faery in the room. ….I didn't think that all of them are Unseelie.

"…Who are you?" One of them asked. I was just about to answer until one of the redcaps by the side answered for me.

"Princess Diana!?"

"Where is this?" I put on the mask of the Winter Princess, and the redcap was just about to answer until more people entered.

"Well, this is certainly unexpected," a beautiful voice chimed.

I drew my sword, muttering. "Leanansidhe. I do not usually poke around in the business of the Summers, but it is common knowledge that you were exiled by Queen Titania."

"Now, now, your highness. In case you were wondering, this is the Between. If you harm anyone here, I promise you that you will regret it. Frankly, I don't care if you're Mab's only daughter."

Frankly, most of the former members of the Unseelie court seem to care though. I, however, had enough common sense not to say this out loud. "She is a Queen here, Ice-Girl. Queen of the Exiles." Robin said, following Meghan into the room.

"Diana! What are you doing here? Where is Ash?"

"For your first question, I'm here because I followed what I thought was a phouka into what I thought was safety. For your second question, I just encountered my dear brother. He is in what the humans call SciCorp. He tried to kill me." I sighed. "Now then, your majesty, Queen of the exiles. Can I get back to Tir Na Nog from here?"

"WINTER PRINCESS. I HAVE NOT SEEN YOU FOR QUITE THE WHILE." I turned toward the loud voice, to see…a disguised iron fey? I backed away, not trusting them. They had managed to hurt Ash quite badly last time. Ash was not someone that was easy to beat with his sword. It was only natural to be wary.

"Oh, this is Ironhorse. You remember him, right?" At Meghan's statement, I immediately drew my sword again, trying to conjure up enough glamour to defend myself.

"Darling, what did I just say? Now, as for your question, yes. I do know a way to your realm. Now, tell us more about your brother's condition first."

* * *

AN

Thank you for bearing with me! Please review!

-Lapis Moon


	27. Chapter 27: Exile's Realm

"Really? You aren't lying?!" Meghan's face twisted into a combination of worry, horror, and another emotion that I couldn't name.

"I cannot lie, even if I wished to." I thought of Ash, and how sick and in pain he looked. It made me angry at myself for not being able to do a single thing for him. My iron burn and my other wounds were mostly healed by now. My glamour was still depleted, and I gave a weary sigh. This situation was becoming more and more complex.

I tried my best to refrain from glaring at Ironhorse, continuously reminding myself that he was an ally now. The Winter fey were well known for holding grudges though, and it was quite difficult to cast away my instincts to stab him in revenge for hurting Ash. He had almost crushed my brother the first time we met.

"He is in SciCorp. I have no clue why, but he is acting really strange. I think that the scepter is there as well."

"I see. Darling, how did you get in?"

"Glamour." I gave Lea a short answer, not wanting to linger on the subject. Why was the Thornguard there? On a completely unrelated note, how did the fey that wanted to kill Sage get into the castle in the first place?

"Obviously." She rolled her eyes at me, and I gave her an annoyed look.

"Then don't ask."

"How are we supposed to save Ash? How can you two argue at a time like this? Diana, don't you want to save your brother!?" Meghan shouted, unable to take any more of our arguing. I was probably so irritable because I needed to get to Tir Na Nog to fully heal. Then, I needed to find a way to save Ash.

"I know, Meghan. But Lea controls the all the gates here. Lea, I need to go back. Now. How can I get to Tir Na Nog?" A war was about to start over the scepter (which, by the way, was in the clutches of the iron fey) and I needed to get it. Besides, my brother was probably tricked/blackmailed/hypnotized/etc. and I needed to help him. I failed to see how I had time for tea and light conversation.

"Now, darling. There is a no direct trod to the Unseelie court from here. Or at least I can't open one. I can, however, open one to the Briars. Will that do?" Lea sounded so calm about the whole situation that it was annoying.

"No." I got up, about to try and find a way to walk out back into the human world (figuring that angry humans with metal weapons were better than having a conversation with these people) when Ironhorse stepped in front of me.

"YOU CANNOT LEAVE YET. THE SUMMER PRINCESS HAS NOT YET OBTAINED THE INFORMATION SHE WANTS FROM YOU."

"Meghan…" My voice was deadly calm, and the air around me grew cold despite my apparent lack of glamour. That was further proof of how angry I was.

"Diana. We have a much better chance if we work together."

"She's right. As much as I don't want to work with Ice-girl, I think that it'll be for the best." Puck gave me a big grin, and I immediately wished that I hadn't come here.

"Ash is in the clutches of the Iron fey!" I raised my voice, unable to bear it. It sounded cold and angry, like a blizzard about to strike. If anyone annoyed me even a tiny bit more, I would literally cause a blizzard to strike. "I need to get him back. If you don't move out of the way, I will make use of the sword by my side."

"Ooh, icy." So, apparently Robin didn't fear cold. I raised my sword, my blue eyes narrowing in barely concealed anger. "Wow. That made you angry? Now let's calm down and talk about this calmly, like civil people."

"Civil people know when they've crossed the line." I glared at Robin, advancing in slow, threatening steps.

"Now, now darling. We all want to help. Just tell us what you know. Besides, what do you intend to do? You haven't even found out where in SciCorp the scepter is. You won't be wasting time. I'll send my spies out to find out. Now then, do you want to help your brother or not?"

"…Very well. If you truly have the power to help Ash."

"I would not lie to you, daughter of Mab." Lea gave a small smile, before gesturing for me to tell me the circumstances. She was right. I had no clue where the scepter was. I also realized that, with my current strength, beating Ash was impossible. I closed my eyes in frustration, and glared once at Ironhorse.

"Fine. I saw Ash. He was with a Thornguard. And he attacked me. I also know that the scepter is in SciCorp. That's about it."

"Hmm…All of which we already knew." Lea muttered thoughtfully, her pipe causing puffs of smoke to rise into the air. I gave a sigh and pulled my hair into a ponytail. This action, for some unknown reason, caused Meghan to giggle and Robin to smirk.

"You look so much like Sage when your hair is like that. Except for the eyes and the generally more feminine features," Meghan said, in between giggles. I rolled my eyes and turned to Lea.

"I'm curious. How did you turn the Between into this?" I gestured at the room filled with fancy furniture. "Also, the fey have all left, but I remember one of those redcaps. Mab exiled him, did she not?"

"She did, and I offered him a safe place here." Lea gave a small, humorless smile. "Now then, Meghan's glamour isn't as nearly as strong enough to conceal herself like you did. And touching the iron would just make it wear off, even if she managed to get rid of the wall that your mother conjured up. We will try to find an alternative method to break in."

"I wish to go there again, to see what information I can gather."

"I don't recommend it, Ice-girl. Not after it was obvious that you can't beat your probably iron-sick brother." He gave me a smirk, like he thought it was hilarious that it was so. I sighed. Even when we were children, I couldn't defeat him.

"No need to bring it up."

"Puck!" Meghan chided, giving him a playful glare. "Leanansidhe, what now?"

"While my spies are out investigating-"

"I want to talk to Sage," I interrupted. Lea looked at me, obviously annoyed.

"No, you don't. Now, while the half-breeds collect the information, you will stay here with Meghan and her little group. It's the only way I can guarantee your safety, darling. I'd hate to have to write a letter to Mab telling her that her only daughter died in my care."

_Half-breeds?_ So that was why that phouka seemed remotely human. Even so, my glamour was slowly recovering, and I planned to leave as soon as it did. It would take a few hours at least, so I decided to stay. It seemed as if Lea was able to control all of the portals to the mortal world here. Now I truly regretted stepping into the Between.

Lea disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving us to stare at each other in confusion. Ironhorse spoke. "THE SUMMER PRINCESS SEEMS TO THINK THAT YOU ARE TRUSTWORTHY, BUT KNOW THAT I WILL WATCH FOR THE FIRST SIGNS OF BETRAYAL."

"Before that, didn't you kill the Iron king?" The question was directed at Meghan.

"Yes, but it seems like there is a new Iron king. The false king. We need to stop him."

"So he is the one who sent assassins after Sage? You're right. He does need to be stopped." Anger filled me again, thinking of the fact that his knights could have _killed_ Sage. I almost gasped when the Nature seemed to stir. Then, I immediately calmed down.

"So, what now? I'm kinda bored, so I'm going to explore. See you later, Meghan!" Puck gave a toothy grin before heading away. Ironhorse stayed in the same spot, watching both of us intently.

"WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO DO NOW?"

"I intend to ask you to be quiet," I said, annoyed at him.

"AND WHAT IF I SAY NO?"

"Are you sure you want to find out?" I retorted.

"Enough! Ironhorse, be nice. She's Ash's sister," Meghan scolded, glaring at him.

"What kind of reason is that?"

"VERY WELL. I UNDERSTAND."

"Huh?!" He actually listened?! To that weird reason that had absolutely no relevance to the topic? Ironhorse gave what I thought was a smirk, still in his human form. His expression read, 'I know something that you don't'. I smirked back. I hoped that my expression read, 'Good for you'.

"ENOUGH. I DO NOT WANT TO WAIT ANY LONGER. LET'S GO FIND THE SCEPTER." Ironhorse gave a snort of impatience. Meghan glared at him. "DO YOU NOT WANT TO FIND THE WINTER PRINCE?"

"Of course I do! And you are going to have to wait. Lea will locate the scepter, and we'll go as soon as she's done. Besides, Ash doesn't even want to be near me! He made sure that it was clear the last time we met! Now calm down and sit still for two minutes! I won't have everything crumble to dust because you can't!" Meghan looked furious, and she ranted at Ironhorse.

"If it helps, my brother probably did that to keep you safe. Just saying," I interjected, wondering what he had said to her. Didn't Ash say that his old feelings for Ariella were stirring again?

"Ironhorse. Can you leave this room for a minute?" She was trying to keep calm, though there was a spark of excitement in her eyes. Ironhorse nodded and reluctantly left, shooting me a look that said, 'if you fail to protect her, I'll show you a fate worse than death'. I wondered what she had done to gain such loyalty from him.

Then, a few seconds after the sound of his steps faded, the door opened again.

* * *

AN

Please review! If you do, I will try to update a bit faster. Thank you to all my readers. Also, for the reviewers that I was unable to reply to by PM, thank you!

-Lapis Moon


	28. Chapter 28: Exile's Traitor

The cat walked in like he owned the world, and I had a sudden urge to make use of the sword by my side. It seemed to sense my malicious intention, because he looked up and shot me a glance that said, 'Don't even try. You won't succeed, because, after all, I am a cat.' Frankly, if he didn't stop annoying me, he would no longer be a cat. Perhaps an icicle, or maybe a porcupine (Whose spines would resemble icicles). Maybe I would make him into a porcupine, and then an icicle. The idea was becoming more tempting by the second.

"Grim! What are you doing here?" Meghan looked at him, her tone slightly annoyed. Then she saw who was behind him. "Charles."

Charles? I turned to the man standing behind Grimalkin. His eyes were strangely blank, and I may have imagined the flicker of recognition that flashed across his eyes when he looked at Meghan. Then, almost immediately, it was gone. He walked over to the piano that I didn't notice was there, and started to play. The melody was sad and heartfelt, and a tear ran down Meghan's face.

"Ash," She whispered, and the music became lonely. The man's fingers danced across the keys, and the sounds that drifted into the air stirred memories that were only strengthened by Meghan's one-word whisper. Ash, refusing to listen to the lessons of the castle teacher. Ash, the joy shining in his eyes when he hunted. Ash, that strange protectiveness in his gaze that I had seen many times throughout my childhood. Ash, his gray eyes blank and lifeless, raising his sword to kill me.

The Nature stirred, demanding revenge from the iron fey that had made my brother suffer. Grimalkin turned to me, his eyes filled with intelligence. They narrowed for a second, as if he could sense the change in my mood. Meghan wiped her eyes, pain still evident in her gaze as she watched Charles play the piano.

I took a deep breath, telling myself that Ash was going to be alright. That revenge would not solve anything. That bringing pain to others would not heal me. Maybe it would, but I refused to allow myself to think that. It somewhat succeeded, because moments later, the Unseelie mask was back in place. Grimalkin let out what I thought was a sigh of relief, and he gave me a look that said, 'be careful next time.' _You too_, I thought. Next time the Unseelie Nature went out of control, I had no doubt that I would aim for him.

The beautiful music had stopped, and Charles began to hit the keys in confusion. The door opened again, I was preparing myself to deal with Robin until one of the half-breeds stepped in. He held a gun, and he glared at me. "Meghan, where's Robin?" The gun apparently wasn't noticed by Meghan, but the very presence of iron alerted me of its existence.

"He's not here." She tilted her head, confused. Hundreds of years of surviving in the Winter court (and spars against Ash, though I can't say that I've won many) gave me good instincts, and I shouted a warning to Meghan when the half-breed's arm made the slightest of movements.

He raised the gun, and I drew my sword. He glared at me again, obviously dissatisfied by my presence. I didn't blame him. He wasn't the first. The half-satyr raised his gun and pointed it at Charles, and his expression told me that I would be next. I noticed redcaps walk in after him, their mouths twisted into evil sneers. Great.

"The iron king will definitely reward us for our efforts." The half-breed smiled at the redcaps, causing them to grin greedily in response. "Oh, don't expect help. The rest of the redcap gang is already taking care of the iron faery and Robin."

"You seem to have conveniently forgotten my presence," I spoke icily, raising my sword.

"I wish I could. But, unfortunately, you're still here. Don't worry, Unseelie. I'll take care of you later." He turned and gave me a smirk.

"Why? Leanansidhe gives you everything! Why would you want to do this?" Meghan's voice sounded angry. "Traitors!"

"Look. We aren't cared about. To the arrogant pure-bloods," He shot me a glare, making me wonder when I had been included in this conversation, "We are only exiles and half-breeds! We're nothing to them! And now, the iron king offers to acknowledge us in the new Nevernever if all we do is find you! Would you refuse a deal like that?"

"Yes. A thousand times over." He shot me yet another glare, and muttered something about 'arrogant pure-bloods staying out of this conversation.' I wanted to remind him that he held a gun, and he was trying to betray the girl that, should I fail to protect, Ironhorse would not hesitate to stomp me into the ground. Besides, my brother may or may not be in love with her, so I don't think that he'll be very pleased with me if I tell him that Meghan is with the iron king. If he recovers.

Meghan's glare seemed to focus on the gun, and her eyes narrowed. I knew that look. It meant that she was sensing the presence of a type of glamour and was preparing to manipulate it. My brothers, my mother, and all the other sidhe capable of using Winter glamour had that look when they were preparing to do so. There was, however, no summer magic here. Unless there was some way to make a tree grow from the piano that I wasn't aware about.

She narrowed her eyes again, and the gun actually began to tighten. The metal literally collapsed onto itself, and I was wondering how she did that. Her glamour was summer right? Did she make a tree grow inside of the gun? No. No summer glamour could do that to iron…So, what was it?

The gun let out a small explosion, and the half-breed dropped it, giving a pained shriek as smoke drifted from his hand. The redcaps recovered quickly, and they began to advance. I glared at them, using what glamour I had recovered to shoot ice crystals at them. Some of them hit, but some missed as they leaped across the room. They continued to advance, and I began using my sword to slash at them.

"Princess. We no longer follow Mab. Your title has no effect on us," One of them hissed at me. If I wasn't doing my best to keep them back, I would have told them that my title has no effect on most people. If it did, the nobles would stop whispering about me and fey would stop trying to kill me. Obviously, this is not the case.

Charles had retreated behind the piano, looking around for a weapon. Meghan took a step back, doing her best to avoid the redcaps. I summoned as much Winter glamour as I had left (which, after battling Ash, was not very much), and was about to call a blizzard before Ironhorse stepped in.

"PRINCESS!" He gave an angered shout when he spotted the redcaps and the half-breed. Almost immediately, he pushed them back (by now there weren't many redcaps), and glared at anyone who came within a 3 foot radius of Meghan. I sighed.

Puck walked in as well, eyebrow raised as if asking, 'do you need help?' I was about to use the glamour I had gathered when Lea entered. "Everyone freeze!" By now, I was wondering if she meant literally or as in, 'to stop'. Apparently, it was the latter because everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to her.

"I thought you were somewhere else!" One of the redcaps (maybe the leader) said, his voice panicked.

"I was, but I didn't stay long. I knew what would happen. Don't try to fool me, darling. I heard the rumors about the rewards offered, and I had a feeling that someone here would betray me." She glanced at the half-breed, and I almost felt bad for him.

"This wasn't our plan, Leanansidhe!" The redcap spoke again, the edge of panic still evident.

"I know that, darling. You couldn't have possibly planned that." The redcaps seemed to relax at her words, and I wondered why they weren't offended. I certainly would have been. "Now then. The mastermind behind this plot is the one to blame. Is there something you want to share, Warren?"

Warren looked up, his eyes full of fear. "Wait! I can explain!" Lea's expression turned a bit frightening. By now, I was wondering if all faery queens had this type of temper. If her personality was anything like my mother's, I would rather not see this.

"Oh, I'm sure you can. You are going to tell me exactly what is going on here." Lea's expression was truly threatening. Puck grabbed Meghan's arm and muttered something like, 'you don't want to see this.' She followed him reluctantly, her expression telling me that she was wondering why the redcaps weren't punished. To be honest, I was wondering the same thing.

Ironhorse spoke to me as we exited the room. "TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, I'M NOT SURE I BELIEVE YOU. YOUR BROTHER DOES NOT SEEM LIKE THE PERSON TO JOIN THE OPPOSING SIDE. I SPEAK FROM PERSONAL OBSERVATION. THE WINTER PRINCE IS MORE LIKELY TO DIE FIGHTING."

"Personal observation? You don't mean the cave, do you? If you hurt him…"

"DO NOT FOCUS ON THE IRRELEVENT PART OF MY WORDS."

"Irrelevant? If you don't mean the cave, then you met him again. In the iron kingdom." Anger filled me again. "What. Did. You. Do. To. Him?" I stretched out each syllable, emphasizing my anger.

"NEVER MIND THAT. I AM WONDERING WHY HE WOULD JOIN THE OTHER SIDE."

I shot him a glare, saying that this conversation wasn't finished. "The first time he looked at me as I entered, there was no light of recognition in his eyes. It was almost as if he didn't know me." Ironhorse's expression turned thoughtful, and I wondered about what he could be thinking about. What did the iron fey do to Ash so that he wouldn't remember me?

* * *

AN

Thanks to all my readers and reviewers! As for the request to do this story again in different POVs, I think that it sounds like a good idea. I don't think that I'll do the entire thing in Meghan's point of view, however. It's assumed that for most of the story, her actions follow the main plot. Thank you for the idea.

-Lapis Moon


	29. Chapter 29: Iron's Code

"SciCorp. Diana mentioned it, and my spies have confirmed it." Leanansidhe announced. "Now then, the problem is how to get inside." By now, my glamour had recovered, and I was seriously planning to try to get Ash back again. Though I had a feeling that if I did, he would want to kill me even if he wasn't influenced by them.

Lea gave me a meaningful stare, obviously wanting me to explain how I got in. "Glamour." I muttered. "I told you once already. I used glamour to make myself invisible, before it wore off. I wish to find out more about this place, so is it possible to let me go again?"

"Isn't it clear that that's just suicide, ice-girl?" Shooting Robin a glare at his statement, I spoke again.

"Ash is probably dying from so much iron exposure. I need to go to him." I forced deadly calm into my voice, trying my best to fight the temptation to summon a blizzard. "I mean no offense, but traveling with all of you will only slow me down. I need to get inside, unseen."

"Very well." Lea muttered, causing everyone in the room to stare at her in shock. This, of course, included me. I had never even guessed that she would actually say yes. "Don't get yourself killed, darling." Was her simple statement before she opened the gate. I heard her say something about, 'not having any control over Mab's children.'

I had no intention of getting the scepter. My priority was Ash. I needed their help to try and retrieve that, and by the time I had finished my little mission, they would probably be done with their preparations. I had a feeling that Mab would launch a war against Summer anyway, probably believing that they were hiding the scepter. I knew that Sage would try to convince her otherwise, but she would definitely find some excuse to launch the war until she got the scepter.

With that pleasant thought in mind, I sighed and used glamour to make myself invisible. I took a deep breath before entering SciCorp again, this time making sure to not touch anything. The very presence of iron around me made me uncomfortable beyond words, and I continued down the hallway, horrified. Thornguards were standing guard over the entrance to the place where I had seen Ash, their faces grim.

My old concern drifted back to me. Perhaps they were under the same influence as Ash? If so, then avoiding them would be best. I stopped and observed the two hallways before me. The first was guarded, and the second was not. Common sense would point out that the guarded one was much more likely to contain something important (In my personal opinion, the third son of the Unseelie Queen was plenty important). However, there was the possibility that the theory of common sense was what they wanted us to think, and the unguarded one actually contained the scepter (and therefore Ash).

Thinking about it, I used my logic. If I were a random iron fey with objectives of who-knows-what and I needed to guard the scepter, I would make Thornguards protect the hallway with nothing in it while I would have my strongest defend the scepter, which I would place in the unguarded one. So, basing my choice on nothing but my logic (which, may I point out, is usually wrong) and a 50% chance, I walked forward, careful not to make a sound.

There wasn't anything in this hallway, and it seemed to lead to an elevator of sorts. It was made of iron, so I took care in staying away from it, deciding to use stairs. When I got to the entrance of the long staircase, I drew my sword and cautiously poked the door open (the handle was iron, so I couldn't get in using normal methods), and stepped inside. The stairs weren't iron, but the handles next to them were, so I made sure to stay away from them.

After poking around 20 or 30 floors, and finding nothing out of the ordinary (Why in the name of Mab is there iron everywhere?), I began to doubt my logic. Sighing impatiently, I stopped to think. Most possibly, they wouldn't hide something like the scepter in an easily accessible place. Ash was most likely where most of the fey were, so that would be around the scepter. In other words, this situation was further proof that fate hated me.

I made my way downstairs again, annoyed to find that my glamour was slowly leaking due to all the iron exposure. By the time I was in front of the door again, my glamour was still depleting. Great. When I got back to the two hallways (I regret making everything so complicated), I discovered that the Thornguards weren't there.

Out of pure instinct, I quickly ducked what my brain automatically registered as danger. I discovered that it was a sword, and that the two Thornguards had been behind me. I spun around, my grip tightening on the hilt of my sword. They were smirking at me, and their eyes weren't as blank as Ash's had been. I barely had time to register the fact that my glamour cloak had apparently worn off due to the iron around us before one of them lunged, sword aimed at my heart.

Despite my apparent lack of glamour, I was still confident that I could defeat two (emphasis on the small number of two) of Rowan's guards. I may not be as good as Ash in the field of fighting, but I seriously doubted that I could lose to these two. Their smirks only infuriated me further. I positioned my body in a battle stance, and I raised my sword.

I blocked their attacks, striking back where I could. I managed to give one of them a cut on his arm. He stepped back, glaring. I spun out of the way as his friend continued to attack, managing to get behind him and somehow hit him with ice daggers. What glamour I had left wasn't enough to make me invisible (after all, the iron all around us would just weaken it), but sufficient to make ice projectiles. Quickly dodging out of the way as his body turned to brambles, I stabbed his friend, making both of them into thorny bushes. I gasped as I noticed the gleam of two silver rings on both of the brambles.

A human walked by, and I didn't glamour myself. Partly because I didn't think that it was necessary, and partly because I didn't have enough glamour. I prepared to kill the human when his gaze landed on me, until he turned away, shaking his head. I let out a breath of relief, amazed that the human didn't even acknowledge the thorn brambles growing out of the ground.

The iron was still draining my energy, and I still haven't gotten what information I wanted. Where was Ash? The most logical action would be to find the scepter, and to assume that Ash was guarding it. My breathing was raspy, and my energy levels were still falling. I was about to head back to the stairs when I noticed a sheet of paper lying on the ground beside what used to be the Thornguards.

I picked it up, reading it**_. Code to Lair- 3, 13, 1113, 3113, 132113, 1..._**

Looking at its contents, I figured that it was probably the code used to access the lair of the Iron fey. Apparently, we were supposed to complete the pattern. The Thornguard must have carried it with him to get to the lair. Why was he wearing an iron ring anyway? And where was Ash?

I knew that this much exposure to iron was dangerous, and I could only hope that he was still alive. I stared at the sheet of paper in my hands, trying to understand it. I wasn't bad at math, probably due to the fact that I had lived so long. When you have the lifespan of a never-aging faery…

I mentally did the calculations in my head. There was no pattern. Sighing, I folded the paper and quickly made my way outside of SciCorp. By now, I only had little more than half of my glamour left. The magic that I had been using must have been affected by all the iron. The mortal streets were still filled with people, and I quickly made my way to Lea's trod, avoiding the strange iron devices that the humans held.

I entered to find Ironhorse and two of the half-breeds talking about something. Puck was relaxing, but his eyes proved that he was deep in thought. All of them turned to me, and I took a deep breath before speaking. "I didn't find my brother nor the scepter, but I did find a clue to the location of their lair."

I held up the piece of paper, annoyed at my own failure. I wasn't able to help Ash, who might be suffering. I offered it to them, trying to resist the temptation to just run back out to the human world. Puck muttered something about Meghan shopping with Lea, and I gave a sigh. Staring back at the paper, I tried to figure out the key that would lead me to my brother.

* * *

AN

Hello! Please tell me what you think by reviewing! It will be greatly appreciated.

-Lapis Moon


	30. Chapter 30: Iron's Truth

After muttering to myself for over an hour, accidently freezing things, and shooting a glare at Robin when he said something about seeing how I was the daughter of Mab, I was about to officially give up on the riddle. When I glared at the piece of paper in my hand, ice began to crawl up the corners, and Robin smirked.

"Did you inherit your mother's temper? Because I always wanted to know what would happen if someone annoyed you. If I annoy ice-boy, he'll hurl ice projectiles at my face. If I annoy Mab, I'll get myself encased in ice. I can only guess at what you'll do."

"Would you like to try?" I threatened, the air automatically dropping at least 5 degrees. I shot him another icy glare.

"No, I'm good. I like my life the way it is. No need to freeze me into an icicle."

"Don't tempt me," I muttered. "Bye for a few hours. I need to go to Tir Na Nog."

"To get killed?" Puck asked, his green eyes trying to understand what I was thinking. The Winter fey were known for cloaking their emotions, and I made sure that my expression gave nothing away.

"No. To try and see what is going on. I'll bring back news of the war."

"Darlings!" Leanansidhe pulled Meghan in through the trod, beaming. Meghan looked…different. Her skin almost seemed to glow, and she seemed more relaxed. Both of them held bags and bags of things from the place they went (actually, it was the redcaps that carried them). Judging from the fabric hanging from one of them, they were filled with articles of clothing and accessories. "What do you think? Can Meghan blend in as an employee from SciCorp?"

Ironhorse looked at her, and nodded, impressed. "PRINCESS. YOU ARE TRULY BEAUTIFUL."

Robin glanced at her, before his cheeks colored slightly. Then he started to stutter. "Uh…w-wow." Was all he managed. Meghan blinked then looked away. I tilted my head slightly to the side, then gave a small smile.

"Meghan, I'm impressed," I said, feeling a bit out of place. I rarely complimented anyone, since in Winter it was another form of weakness. She seemed to acknowledge it, because she smiled brightly. Then, the half-phouka (whose name I learned was Kimi), held up a card. Leanansidhe took it and observed the picture of the blond woman in the corner before smiling in approval.

"This is the ID that she will use to get in. Darling, what came out of your second infiltration? The Winter Prince isn't with you, so I take it you failed?"

I closed my eyes for a second, calming myself down. She didn't need to put it so bluntly. Then, I took the piece of paper and showed it to her. "I managed to retrieve this." I purposely left out the word 'accidently'.

She took it, and examined the contents. "Unfortunately, I'm no good at math. I won't be much help. It seems to be the code to their lair."

"It probably is. I did not see the scepter or an excessive gathering of fey in any of the easily accessible areas," I murmured, taking a deep breath.

Meghan's eyes lit up with hope for a second, and she took the paper. Her eyes scanned the page, looking for a pattern. After what seemed like a few minutes, she frowned. "I don't see any pattern."

"I did not either. If it helps, I tried all of the basic mathematical functions." This caused Robin to stare at me.

"Ice-girl knows math?"

"Yes. It's part of my education." I flipped the piece of paper over before blinking. Sure that my senses were off after my tiring day, I held it out to Leanansidhe. "Feel the back of the paper for glamour. It's really faint."

Lea took it, and examined it for a long minute. After several anxious stares and demands to know what was going on, she finally spoke. "There is a very faint trace of Winter glamour on the back. Was that what you were referring to, darling?"

"Yes." I took it from her and felt around the back of the paper until I found it again. Using my glamour, I easily overpowered the spell. One of the Thornguards must have done it several days ago, because it was really weak now. Strangely, I found it harder to locate and dispel a weak glamour than a stronger one. Maybe because the signal kept fading.

When it was done, words seemed to appear on the page, hastily written with black ink_. Floor of Lair- 29.5_

No one said anything for a long moment until Meghan finally broke the silence. "How can something be on floor 29.5?"

"Well, Princess, it would be a faery dimension that-" Robin started, before he was cut off by Lea.

"Spare us the explanation. Basically, it's certainly possible in faery terms, dove. Now, all of you, rest for tomorrow!" She announced. "Oh, I almost forgot. As for the Winter Princess, would you like to go back to the human world? I can open a trod so you can somehow make your way into Tir Na Nog, darling."

"Yes, that would be convenient," I agreed. Meghan frowned for a second, before seemingly remembering something. The redcaps and the other half-fey all left the room, probably sensing her mood.

"Diana, be careful of Rowan." I frowned at her statement, and she blinked, her expression reading, 'you didn't know?' "He had no remorse allowing those assassins to go after Sage. If he knows about your mission, I'm sure he-"

"No…no. He wouldn't." My voice was soft and it wavered. One of the rare moments where I failed to compose myself. Then, as instinct, the Winter mask snapped back on, and my voice was cold. "It does not matter how his power-hungry personality is. Sage is his brother, and there is no way that he would betray his kin." Even as I said it, my traitor thoughts reasoned that it painfully fit together.

I vaguely recalled the time when we searched for the iron fey. That look in Rowan's eyes when he had gazed at Sage for a second. Perhaps…I had not imagined that guilt? And the fact that he was away more in the past few weeks. The fact was that, since we were little, he had always been power-hungry. And yet, against all this logic, I still thought that there was no way. He was my brother, and (though it was weakness), I believed in him.

Meghan frowned and Puck glared at my cold tone. "Look. I don't know what happened, but I can't say that it isn't possible that your family betrayed you." For once, even Robin Goodfellow was serious enough to not joke around.

Meghan continued, softer now. "Ash didn't want to believe it either, but Rowan sent the Thornguards to kill us. He is working for the false king in the iron kingdom. He thinks that it's the only way to survive."

Strange, that the more hurt I was, the more cold I became on the surface to others. It was the only way to survive in my home. "You, as a half-mortal, can lie. I want to talk to Ash, who cannot. He will tell me the truth."

Meghan looked almost hurt for a second, before she composed herself. Her emotions were swirling, seemingly trying to be understanding. I, however, was used to no sympathy from others. And my pride prevented me from accepting her pity. I didn't want it. Puck glared at me, seemingly telling me in his threatening gaze that, should I hurt her, he would make me regret it.

"Then the best solution is for the Winter Princess to not go back for safety reasons until her brother is saved, is that right darlings?" Lea asked.

"No. I do not believe that it was Rowan. However, I am reminded of who truly aided the assassins. I feel the need to return to ensure the safety of both of my brothers. I will come back by tomorrow to help in your plan to save Ash." I emphasized 'both of my brothers' in an icy tone. My opinion of the possibility of Rowan's supposed betrayal was clear.

Meghan and Robin seemed to sense my mood, and they left with another glare from Puck. Lea sighed once before opening the gate. The sky was darkening now, and I quickly walked outside, wanting to get home as soon as possible. Being away from my realm for such a time unnerved me, and I was eager to return. I had given the paper to Lea, but I had memorized the code. Sage would probably be able to figure it out.

I traveled for a while, sometimes running, sometimes walking. I made sure to keep away from all the iron. At this point in time, I was quite sure that fate was quite desperate to make me suffer, because the iron made the mortal world a deadly maze. When I finally reached the trod, I stepped in and took a deep breath, missing the feeling of being home.

* * *

AN

Thank you for the people that marked this story as one of their favorites! Thank you to those that decided to follow it as well. And, as usual, thank to all of my readers. Please review!

-Lapis Moon


	31. Chapter 31: Winter's Lies

I walked through the trod, a strange combination of anger and disbelief still swirling inside of me. I was still a Winter Princess, and my heart was still made of ice. I did not feel any guilt for speaking to Meghan in such an icy tone.

Rowan would never do that to Sage. Quite sadly, I knew that the bonds that held my family together were made of nearly nothing but desire for power, obligation, and the very fact that the others were useful pawns in our own little games. Even so, I had chosen to believe in that small part that wasn't touched by Unseelie politics.

The possibility of Rowan harming Ash was much larger than him doing it to Sage. Sage had secretly protected all of us until we were accustomed to court. He, being the eldest, had taught us their ways and guided us even more than our mother had. Perhaps it was obligation, and perhaps he was merely playing big brother for the eyes of the court, but I always believed that he actually cared.

He couldn't show it, but I just knew somehow. And I knew that Ash and Rowan sensed it too. He would never forgive anyone that harmed us. Somehow, I believed that he did for more than just appearances. Rowan and Ash both knew it as well as me, and they acknowledged it in their own way. Rowan was rarely as competitive with Sage as he was with Ash. Ash didn't try to ignore his existence like he did Rowan.

Sage was always a bit softer than the both of them. At least, he wasn't so desperate to make everyone around him suffer like the rest of the court. I respected him for that. And I was sure that Rowan respected him enough to not aid an assassination attempt to kill him.

I had a feeling that their objective wasn't to kill him. It was probably the scepter. I sighed, thinking it ridiculous that one little scepter was enough to cause a war. I blinked, remembering the war. Oh, great. Another problem to add to my undoubtedly long list of proof that fate hates me.

After my musings, I realized that I had arrived at the castle. It felt…empty for some reason. Despite the guards at the massive doors, it felt devoid of life. They bowed as I entered, and I felt a strange temptation to roll my eyes. I quickly entered the castle, looking around. It was true.

The servants that were normally running around were no longer in the halls, and most of the knights patrolling were gone. I headed in the direction of the throne room, and almost gasped when I saw what lay there.

Tiaothin was trapped in ice up to her neck, her breathing raspy. The entire room was full of the evidence of destruction, and I muttered something under my breath about 'anger management issues.'

"Princess…" Tiaothin's voice sounded pained, and I quickly made my way over to her, placing my hand on the ice. I concentrated, and I felt the Winter glamour around me react. I commanded it to shatter the ice, and it did so. Tiaothin took deep breaths, rubbing her neck.

"What happened here?" I asked, my voice automatically devoid of emotion. She looked up at me, and began to speak hurriedly.

"I tried to lead the knights away from Prince Ash and the Summer Princess. When Prince Rowan found out, he tried to encase me in ice. Luckily, a Thornguard ran in and told him something, and he wasn't able to turn me into a complete statue." She coughed once, her throat recovering. Then she looked at me with fear, probably hoping that I wouldn't take Rowan's side.

"Where is my mother?" I asked simply, and she seemed to sigh in relief.

"At war. With Summer."

I nodded and left the room, and she sighed in relief again. I was about to go to the ballroom, thinking that there would be some signs of her current location there until I heard a voice from the gardens.

"Older brother, I propose a duel. If I win, then I can pick any one thing that you can't tell Mab. If you win, I won't tell her one thing of your choice." Rowan's voice was faint, a bit far away, and I ventured outside into the icy gardens, careful not to make a sound.

I hid behind a tree, and they didn't seem to notice me. There was no one else in the castle, and they must have been distracted. Sage, still not fully recovered, was staring at Rowan with narrowed green eyes. "Why?" He asked simply.

"I have my reasons. Anyway, it's a bit unfortunate isn't it? That Mab wouldn't listen to your protests that it was not Summer that tried to assassinate you and steal the scepter. So tell me, who did dare to do such a thing?" Rowan's voice was filled with mock anger, and he smirked.

"The iron fey." Sage said, trying to understand Rowan's objective.

"Oh? Is that so?"

Sage did not answer, instead choosing to stare at him with emotionless, pale green eyes. Rowan drew his sword, the tip aimed at Sage. It was an unspoken invitation to the spar. Sage did not answer, though his hand moved slightly toward his sword in an instinctive response to the threat.

Rowan must have decided that taunting him was the best way to make him fight, because he continued his lecture on the 'unfortunate' events that had happened to Sage. "And to think that she made you stay behind because you were recovering from injuries." He smirked again, obviously trying to provoke him by mentioning his weakness.

Sage showed no reaction, and this seemed to aggravate Rowan. "The assassination attempt. Did you participate in it?" I stepped out from my hiding place, and both of them turned to me.

Rowan glared at me, and answered. "Of course not! Where did you get that idea?" I gave a sigh of relief, and offered him a quick explanation.

"I did not believe it when I heard you were a traitor," I said, biting my lip to keep myself from smiling. I had known.

Sage's eyes narrowed, and he spoke. "It is clear you did not participate. But did you aid it?" Sage had been at court longer, and he knew more than all of us how to hide the truth. Rowan stiffened for a split second, before regaining his composure.

"Where did you get that idea? It's ridiculous!"

"It may be ridiculous, but you did not say that it was false." Sage's blank expression did not reveal anything, but his eyes showed that he didn't want to believe it.

"Alright, dear brother and sister. Suspect me. Here, I'll say the words. I did not participate or aid the assassination attempt. Alright?"

Both of us gave a sigh of relief, and when I looked up, I could swear that Rowan's smirk was almost like he was rejoicing at fooling us.

* * *

AN

For those of you that are curious about how he was able to supposedly 'lie': What if Rowan didn't think of it as an assassination attempt, but rather a successful mission to retrieve the scepter? Then he wouldn't have aided the assassination attempt, because he knew that it really wasn't an assassination attempt. :) Thank you to all my readers. Please review! Reviews are always deeply appreciated.

-Lapis Moon


	32. Chapter 32: Winter's Vow

When I got back to Lea's realm, the atmosphere was so heavily grim that it was almost tangible. Even Robin Goodfellow was participating in the silence. He spared me a glance when I entered, and Lea spoke in her musical voice. "Ah, darling. Did you find out what you wanted?"

"Rowan did not betray us. He swore it," I murmured, my own voice so devoid of emotion that it scared even myself. Meghan looked up, shaking her head.

"I don't know how he manipulated the truth, but he did. I…won't dwell on the subject of your family relationships. We went to get the scepter with your code, and we saw him. Ash." Her voice dropped into a quiet whisper at the end, and I did not know how to respond. It was in my nature to find it hard to be kind.

"I see," I said simply, finding it hard to even say those two, simple words. I could feel emotions. They were just locked inside me, unable to be adequately expressed. It was painful to utter those two words and to keep all of my thoughts inside me.

"He hesitated. For a moment. That was enough for us to escape." Meghan seemed close to tears, her eyes filled with guilt. She didn't seem to mind the drops of blood that stained her clothes, nor the little wounds that were the cause of them. Her eyes were almost blank, as if she was trying desperately to escape the world that reality had pulled her into. A single tear fell from her eyes, and Puck tried to comfort her. "Isn't there a way to save him?" Her voice was so soft, I had to strain to hear it.

"THERE IS NOT. VIRUS HAS INJECTED HIM WITH ONE OF HER IRON BUGS. I WISH I COULD SAY OTHERWISE, BUT THERE IS NO WAY THAT ANY OLDBLOOD CAN SURVIVE." Ironhorse sounded so regretful.

"Iron bugs," I repeated, not willing to believe it. Anger welled up inside of me again, screaming for blood. Ash was suffering. I would kill the one that made him suffer. The room seemed to grow cold again, and Robin's seemingly carefree green eyes narrowed when he glanced at me. The cat blinked, almost telling me to calm down.

I literally would have destroyed everything in sight that was separating me and my target (Or I would have tried to anyway), if two of the half-breeds hadn't walked in. Meghan smiled at them, almost thankful that they were safe, but Puck pulled her behind him, and I glared at the threat. "What's wrong, Puck? They are…" Meghan trailed off after she saw the look that was gleaming in his eyes.

Every pureblood fey that was in the room sensed it, because we all stood, wary of the threat. The two half-breeds began to talk in a clipped, robotic way. "Our Mistress has sent us to convey a message to you. Your family will be killed by the Winter Prince, Ash. She said that you should be honored, that she is giving them special attention. She is impressed by your actions."

"Tell her this. I swear that she will pay for making my brother suffer," I snarled at them, my blood boiling in pure rage. The half-phouka turned to me, her eyes horridly blank.

"Your brother is doomed, Winter Princess. He is the first that will fall. The next is your kingdom." Strangely, this was the first time that someone had threatened me with such a flat, uncaring tone. It was also one of the rare times that the threat actually succeeded to provoke me and made me tempted beyond words to draw my sword.

The girl gasped and suddenly fell to the floor, her eyes wide open in horror and pain. The boy soon followed, both of their expressions filled with agony. They did not move again, and Meghan gave a gasp of horror. Puck assured her that they were not dead, but her breathing did not calm. "My family. Ash," She managed to choke out, before Puck's expression became regretful.

"There is no choice. He is no longer the Ash we know. We have to kill him." His voice was grim, and he winced at his own words. Meghan quietly shook her head, her eyes wide open in horror at the realization.

"There is a choice. He is no longer the Ash you know, because you did not fully know him. I understand that he is your friend, but he is my brother. I'd prefer it if none of the fey from the other courts meddled with Winter politics. You will not kill him. I will make sure that he will harm no one, but you will not kill him," I said firmly, my voice cold. It sounded like the bored tone that I used to tell the nobles something.

Meghan silently closed her eyes for a second. "I want to save my family. I care about Ash too. If you can make it so that both are unharmed, I don't care what methods you use." Her quiet statement made both Ironhorse and Goodfellow look at her in surprise.

"PRINCESS. THE SCEPTER."

"My family is more important than the scepter. I'm sorry, Ironhorse." Her voice was calm and resolute. A gleam of stubbornness was lit in her eyes, and Robin sighed.

"I understand. On your wishes, let's all go defy thousands of years' worth of ancient faery laws. Who cares about the fact that it's impossible? I know the fact that nothing is impossible better than my own name." Robin's voice was encouraging as he tried to cheer Meghan up.

"You must not know your name well then," I said, sighing a little. I would save Ash. I would let nothing kill him. Even at the cost of the friendship and lives of myself and the people in front of me. The cat turned to me, his eyes intelligent. It was almost as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.

* * *

AN

I'm sorry for not updating in a while! I've been a bit busy. Please review! I'll try to update faster if you do.

-Lapis Moon


	33. Chapter 33: Winter's Wounds

As soon as we arrived at her house, Meghan gasped at the sight of two adults frozen in ice in the living room. She tentatively touched the cool surface of the ice that encased her mother, her face a mask of horror. Puck's eyes narrowed, and he turned his gaze to me. "This is your brother's fault. Might want to keep your promise to take responsibility."

I returned his chilling glare, holding his meaningful gaze. Walking up to Meghan's mother, I placed my hand upon the ice. I felt a faint trace of Ash's glamour on it, and I sighed. The spell was weaker than the ones he usually cast, and that worried me. Feeling the energies of winter respond to my touch, I commanded to ice to shatter. It did so, and bits of it fell to the floor. Meghan's mother, now freed, fell to the floor as well, unharmed but unconscious.

I did the same for her step-father, leaving her to make sure that they were alright. I watched as Puck helped to lay them on the sofa before I spoke. "I will go find Ash," I said simply, leaving before they could protest. If Robin was correct, then he would not know me. Could I kill him if that was the case? No matter what I tried to tell myself, I knew that I could not.

I made my way to the kitchen, following the direction of the cold wind billowing out. I heard raspy breathing, and I spun to see Ash, leaning against one of the walls. He looked exhausted, and like he might collapse any second from pain. I drew in a sharp breath, shaking my head. I drew my sword, my hand shaking. I didn't want to believe the theory that he was infected by a bug. Now though, I had no choice.

He was obviously in great pain, his silvery eyes showing signs of a tedious struggle. Still, it seemed that he could do nothing but force himself to raise his sword at me, the blue arc shining as he slashed. I could do nothing but raise my own blade, and try not to get killed with his. Meghan and Puck must have heard the sounds of the duel, because they rushed into the kitchen.

Meghan's eyes narrowed, and resolution along with a bit of regret shimmered in them. She had made a decision. For some reason, I had a feeling that I would not like it. Robin's playful eyes became threatening as well, and a pang of fear hit me when he aimed his calm stare at my brother. "Meghan." Ash finally spoke, to all of our surprises. I turned to him, relieved. My hope was quickly crushed when I saw his condition. His breathing was quick and raspy, and it seemed even more pained than before.

"Ash." Meghan seemed close to crying now, and she closed her eyes for a second. I felt the strange glamour tingle the air as she seemed to slip into a state of great concentration. Ash drew in a sharp breath, and then he sighed in relief. Meghan bit her lip, continuing to concentrate.

Ash fell to his knees, coughing. He shivered for a second, and I held back my desire to freeze the entire house when an iron bug flew into the air, its wings buzzing angrily. Ash still looked weak. Too weak. I rushed to him, and tried to give him glamour. His body rejected the sudden input of magic though, and I grew worried.

Frantically, I tried to transfer a smaller amount. He took a deep breath as he absorbed some of it, before my glamour was blocked by the iron poisoning. I realized in dismay that I had barely healed him. I shuddered at the thought. Being in the mortal world for so long had taken a toll on my energy. I could only imagine the pain he was forced to bear if he had iron inside him. I spun around at the sound of someone picking up Ash's sword and I glared at Robin.

"Ethan. What did you do to him?" Meghan's voice was carefully controlled, but there was still a slight tremble.

"I did nothing. He is fine. His room may be a bit cold though." Ash sighed, and I closed my eyes for a second. That second was enough for Robin to approach us, Ash's sword in his hand. I got up, drawing my own sword.

"I won't allow you to hurt him," I said coldly, my voice like ice. I would not hesitate to take revenge for Ash's sake if he dare come a single step closer. My entire being thrummed in anger at the threat, and my blue eyes narrowed as I glared at Puck.

His green eyes turned feral for a second, before he sighed and threw the sword on the ground. "Come on, ice-boy. I know a healer." Meghan had apparently gone to check on her brother, because she walked back into the kitchen.

"As do I," I said, my voice not as cold as before, but just as wary. "And the healer that I know is not a Summer."

"Well, if you want to take the risk and let him die along the way, be my guest. I'm just trying to help."

"Ironically, I have reason to believe that your healer will present more danger than his actual wounds." I shook my head at him, before helping Ash up. "Ash. Your choice."

"A 50% chance of getting poisoned by a Summer isn't as bad as a 100% chance of dying before we reach Tir Na Nog," he said. His voice was terribly soft and strained. Meghan briskly walked over, helping him. A light of pure relief was lit in her eyes, but some of the worry still lingered.

* * *

After helping my brother on a tatter-colt, and ordering another one not to kill Meghan, we arrived at the healer. Actually, we arrived at a tree that Robin insisted was the healer. When I tried to express this concern, he just rolled his eyes at me. He led us a bit forward, and we arrived at a small house. He knocked on the door, and I was half-expecting a spriggan with a delayed reaction to pop out. Instead, a gnome did. I suppressed the urge to sigh, somehow knowing that one of my court's ancient enemies wouldn't agree to heal an Unseelie Prince.

Ash was looking even paler, if that was possible. Meghan instinctively walked in front of both of us, probably thinking that she would immediately disagree if she saw us. "Robin Goodfellow. And Miss Chase. What a surprise." She would be even more surprised if she knew that we were here as well.

"My…friend is iron-sick. It's really bad. He is getting really weak." Meghan bit her lip. "Ms. Stacy. Can you help?" Then she seemed to realize something. "You were helping Puck cover up my Sight before weren't you?"

"Indeed I was, on King Oberon's orders." The gnome pushed her glasses up, and she blinked. "Iron-sick? Let me see."

Meghan bit her lip again before she walked out of the way. I had refused to go that close to the house, so we were a few feet further than Meghan, but it seemed the gnome could still see us. She paled, and began shaking her head. "Princess Diana and Prince Ash? Are you asking me to aid our ancient enemies?! No, I will not. I absolutely refuse to heal a child of Mab."

I narrowed my eyes at her, and I shot her a glare. Meghan looked panicked, and she immediately tried to convince her otherwise. "We don't have time!" Her expression turned angry as she forced the door open when the gnome tried unsuccessfully to slam it.

"I will not aid an Unseelie!" At the gnome's words, anger flowed through me again, and the temperature around me grew cold. Puck shot me a glare that told me to calm down, and I took a deep breath.

"That's enough. She's made it quite clear that she will not help us." My voice was cold, and I tried to keep myself from freezing her. Ash looked at me, his gray eyes still pained, and I turned to Meghan. "All I ask is that you and Goodfellow make sure that he survives a little longer. I'll go back to Tir Na Nog to gather a healer." My heart sunk even as I spoke. I knew that there was no time. Considering my luck, I would have to go all the way to the castle to find a healer.

"Diana. You know there isn't time." Meghan's voice was soft, and she turned back to the gnome, defiance in her gaze. "You will heal him, or my father will hear of this! He will know that you refused me aid when I came to you for help!" She glared at the gnome, who nervously pushed her glasses up again.

There was a long, frightening pause, and I was tempted to run to Tir Na Nog and find a healer there until the gnome finally sighed. "Alright! Bring him in. I'll help!" She rolled her eyes in annoyance, and Puck helped Ash into the house.

Before Meghan went in, I spoke to her. "I know that his glamour won't recover fully here. I should go to Winter and get a healer."

"Alright." She nodded. "I know I shouldn't make promises here, but when you decide to leave, I'll do my best to make sure that he will be alright."

I hesitated, before offering a small smile of gratitude. I followed her into the room, watching as the healer examined Ash. "May I stay?" I asked, causing the healer to look up.

The gnome glanced at me uncomfortably, before finally replying. "I'll be frank. I don't trust you. Based on common sense, you probably don't trust me either. He is your brother, so yes, you can stay." She flashed a glare at me. "But harm anyone or break anything and I will make you regret it, daughter of Mab," she hissed at me.

I nodded impassively, before leaning against the wall and watching as she concocted a weird potion. Meghan had left to rest when the healer made it quite clear that the number of people she would allow here was limited. Maybe I wasn't included in her definition of people. I didn't know whether I should be honored or offended.

"Ash, are you alright?" I asked simply.

He didn't answer, used to not being allowed to show weakness. Especially in front of a Summer. I could feel the corners of my lips curling into a smile. "Drink this." The gnome shoved a bottle containing a swirling liquid in front of my brother, who stared at it like it was poison. The healer huffed irritably, and he tentatively took it. "I'm trying to help you, Prince. It isn't poison." The gnome turned back to her work, but I didn't miss her quiet mutter of, "Unfortunately."

I ignored her remark, instead watching as Ash opened the bottle and sighed. He drank it slowly, sighing once again in relief when he finished. I snatched the bottle out of his hands, and offered it to the healer, who blinked in surprise. Then, I went back to my task of leaning against the wall and watching closely for symptoms that Ash had been poisoned. I had already felt the pain of watching one brother almost die. I would not allow the same to happen to another.

The healer held a needle with a string, and she said something about sewing his wounds shut. Ash nodded his consent, and just as the needle poked his skin, his Unseelie reflexes came in. His hand shot out and knocked the needle out of her hand before I had time to blink. She gasped as the needle fell to the floor. "Unseelie! So violent!" she said in disdain. Ash said nothing, instead choosing to lay down again.

"How is he?" I asked her.

"Fine, though he does have some personality issues," she said, shaking her head. "He will live, though he is lacking glamour. That, I can't do anything about. The potion I gave him should help with the iron poisoning. Let him rest. Do whatever you wish, Unseelie princess." Somehow, her tone implied that it was an insult.

* * *

AN

This chapter was really long. Once again, thank you to all my readers. I welcome all reviews, and they will be greatly appreciated. Thanks again!

-Lapis Moon


	34. Chapter 34: Winter's Regret

Finding a trod was easy, and I immediately felt relieved when the familiar cold surrounded me, confirming my presence in Tir Na Nog. I was content to simply stand there, allowing my energy to recover, before I shook my head and headed toward the palace. I needed to find a healer.

Quoting Puck, Tir Na Nog was 'dead'. I allowed myself a small smile as I considered that. It was 'dead' in a way. Even more so now, when most of the villages were empty and devoid of the loud presence of Winter fey. I wondered if it was because of the war, and I grew worried. What if there were no healers in the castle? Probably, since Mab had no reason to leave behind a perfectly good healer in an empty castle.

Luckily (strangely, my luck was fairly well today), I arrived at the palace sooner than I predicted, and, true to my thoughts, it was mostly empty. I take back what I said about my luck today. I entered the castle, and found that there were only a few knights patrolling the halls. From their hushed conversation, I could infer that the rest of the fey were all at battle. They didn't see me as I rushed to my bedroom.

I carefully observed the map spread across the wall, trying to figure out the closest path to the battlefield. I paused for a second, considering. What would I do once I got there? It wasn't like I could just ask Mab to order a healer to aid her traitor son in his quest to cooperate with the daughter of her ancient enemy. It sounded ridiculous even to my ears. I hated to see what it would sound to Mab.

I sat down on the bed, deep in thought. It was long since I was able to think so clearly like this. There was a war in which I had a feeling I should be participating in. I had a feeling that if I went to Mab, she would order me to do exactly that. It was quite obvious to me that Meghan loved Ash. Ash seemed not to hate her, if nothing more. I may have misinterpreted the light that shone in his eyes when he watched her.

It was selfish, I knew. But I could not imagine Ash going to Meghan and leaving his home and everyone in it behind. He probably could though. Our home was only filled with people who cared nothing for him. As reluctant as I was to admit it, the childish part of me didn't want to see him follow her into exile if Mab found it. I knew that the one thing that no one would be able to halt was the feeling of love. The only way to make sure that he wouldn't meet his death in the Mortal World was to ensure that Mab knew nothing of this.

I took a deep breath, wondering about the war now. Should I help my kin against my ancient enemy? Or should I be supporting of my brother's love enough to not harm the kin of girl he loved? I no longer knew. What would Sage be doing? And…Rowan. I had forgotten to ask Ash for confirmation, even if I was sure that Rowan had nothing to do with this. But the fact still remained that there was a traitor in the castle.

I was snapped out of my daze when a knife made of ice whizzed by me, missing me by mere centimeters. I spun around, sword in hand. My eyes scanned the room, searching for the location of the threat. Registering the danger, my senses became sharper as a bit of urgency crossed my instincts. I was lucky, in the way that I had just glanced at the right corner of the room when there seemed to be a twitch in the shadows.

Just as, when dodging the knife of an assailant, one does not consider the correct direction to avoid it, my brain unconsciously made the decision to duck. I had no clue of whether it was on reflex or if it was just a random coincidence, but it was what saved my life. A dagger glinted with dangerous light as it was embedded in the wall behind me. Had I not dodged it, it would have been lodged in my heart.

I rapidly considered possibilities, continuing to carefully watch the back wall. Who would do this? Considering how easy it was to get into the castle, the possibility of it being an assassin from Summer was certainly considered. However, an assassin from Summer would not be able to wield ice weapons, much less make them. It was a Winter sidhe then. And a fairly powerful one at that. One powerful enough to evade even my senses.

I hissed a curse as another knife brushed my arm, causing a bit of blood to adorn my pale skin. I was lucky that it didn't cut that deep though, because I would have been unable to use my sword. Who would want to kill me?

The throws seemed almost reluctant, like the assassin knew that I would dodge them. I doubted that someone of such skill would miss so many times. I flung out a few daggers of my own, and from the thunks that proved that they hit the wall, I knew that I had missed. The assassin was cloaked in darkness with a spell of concealment, and I tried to force my eyes to see through it. Unfortunately, no matter how hard I tried, there are just some things that I couldn't do.

The room grew considerably colder, as if the assassin was annoyed. I didn't see why. If anyone should be annoyed in this situation, it would be me. I had recovered enough of my glamour by now, and I flung an ice spear in a random direction. Quite obviously, it hit the wall. I heard what I assumed to be a snicker from the opposite direction, and I was once again compelled to curse my horrible guessing skills.

I spun in that direction, sword raised. I didn't try to stab him with it though. If throwing an ice spear in the exact opposite direction made me look bad, I didn't even want to imagine what slashing randomly at the wall would look like. For the sake of my pride (and the 90% chance that he would leave that area before I got there), I was determined to make do with ice projectiles.

Strangely, even though I was in the process of fighting for my life, I still managed to observe the window. The weather was morphing into a storm, almost as if it was warning me of a dire event. At this point, I really hoped that the weather was trying to warn the assassin instead. I had officially had enough bad luck. Any more would cost me my life.

It seemed that the assassin got bored with trying to hit me with his questionable aim, because I saw the gleam of a sword rush at me. I parried the thrust of his arm, trying my best to defend myself against his strength. The pressure on my blade disappeared, and I spun around just in time to deflect a blow aimed for my heart. It was obvious that the assassin was getting serious now. The fact that the storm made the room darker did not help my predicament.

The darkness served to do nothing but conceal him from me. I knew that as long as I could not see him, this battle would not be finished. I quickly ran for the door, freezing in dismay when I realized it was locked.

I could almost feel the smirk of the assassin on my back, and I shot an ice dagger to another random direction. A hiss of shock indicated that I was actually pretty close this time. A sense of panic was rising in my chest, and it seemed to stir the Nature. Coldness froze my blood, and anger coursed through my veins.

Unlike the time with the Summer king, I did not have a rational reason for my fury. It was simple, blind anger, and there was no motivation to give me strength. Perhaps it was the panic that became hysteria in my mind, making my heart beat faster, but I didn't have the strength to resist the cold. I watched in dismay as the walls around us began to freeze, giving me enough proof of the Nature's presence.

My breathing calmed, and my mind emptied itself of all rational thought. I felt like a machine, knowing that the only thing that I could do at the moment was kill. This thought was directed at the assassin in the room, and I heard a small gasp of surprise.

I didn't even need to think as I reflexively aimed an ice dagger in that direction. The hiss that resounded through the room this time indicated that I had hit my target. The newfound strength was not enough, however, to counter the unexpected fact that the assassin had somehow moved behind me. I took a sharp breath, turning quickly.

My sword was raised enough to deflect the blow, but the force of it knocked the blade out of my hands. Fortunately, it was also enough to get another ice dagger and aim it to the side. The assassin gasped this time, and the pain was apparently enough to dispel his glamour. All the power that the raw anger from the Nature gave immediately dissipated when I saw his identity. He was clutching his left arm from the place where the dagger had hit. Now I knew why this person was able to keep up with the battle even with my Nature awakened.

"Rowan…no…why?" I shook my head at him, refusing to believe it. I wanted to wake up from this cruel dream. This was not happening, I tried to tell myself. He just stood there, doing nothing to deny it, even though I desperately wanted him to. I wanted him to make up an excuse, even say that the Iron king threatened him with death if he didn't. Instead, he just stood there, his pale blue eyes emotionless even as his mouth was twisted into a cruel smirk.

"So you found out." Those four words were the exact opposite of what I wanted to hear come out of his mouth. My hand was shaking, with fear or with disbelief, I couldn't tell. All I knew was that Rowan was…

"You…Why?" I hated how weak, how vulnerable I sounded. There was not a single light of regret in his eyes as he stalked toward me, his sword still in his hand. I stepped back, shaking my head. "No. No. Tell me this is a cruel joke." My whisper was ignored as he continued to raise his blade, intending to kill me.

"You knew. That Seelie half-breed ruined everything. I don't know what she told you, but I know that you know too much." He raised his sword arm, and I realized that there was nowhere to run. A little bit of sunlight pierced the window, and it shimmered upon his face. For a split second, I was sure that his blue eyes were filled with regret. Then, his lips parted, and he let out a faint whisper. "Little sister. Goodbye." Those were the last words I heard before my world went black.

* * *

Cliffhanger! Thank you, dear readers, for bearing with me. Please take the time to leave a review. They will be greatly appreciated, and they encourage me to update faster. Also, I couldn't help but notice that my writing has improved a bit since I first started, so I edited some of the chapters. If my plan worked, they should be improved. Please feel free to give me suggestions on how to improve both this story and my writing in general. I'll try to update faster next time. Once again, thank you! The plot will become (hopefully), more exciting now.

-Lapis Moon


	35. Chapter 35: Winter's Loss

The world was spinning when I woke up, and I briefly wondered whether it was really the world or my head that was dizzily dancing. I decided it was my head, and I closed my eyes, trying my best to rid myself of the horrible throbbing. It seemed to work, because lights stopped dancing across my vision, and I was able to open my eyes. I was still in my room, but some sections of the wall were covered in ice, as if I had been battling. My headache was further proof of that.

There was a blurry image in my head, and I felt like I was missing something. Like I needed to remember something extremely important. Unfortunately, as proven by many instances in my life, fate just didn't like me, and I could not recall what happened about 30 minutes ago. Other than the fact that I was sleeping, though I personally wondered why I was in the first place. Ash needed my help, and here I estimated that a few hours had already passed. I shook my head, clearing it of the grogginess.

I felt that something was off, and I seriously tried to recall what happened. Nothing came to mind, and it my head hurt as I tried unsuccessfully to remember. I blinked in confusion. So either it was that my intelligence had decreased so much within the past 30 minutes that I couldn't recall what happened a few hours ago, or something made me forget. For the sake of my pride, I hoped that it was the latter.

My sword was lying on the floor, and I picked it up and sheathed it. Shaking the feeling off that something was dreadfully wrong, I opened the window and jumped out. I felt the wind on my face for the brief two seconds before I landed, and I took a deep breath. Mab's healers were probably battling, so I needed to hurry. I had wasted enough time doing who-knows-what.

It was snowing, I noted, and the sun made the surface of the ground glitter as the frost acted as a mirror. Winter glamour swirled inside of me, and I briefly wondered when I had used this much. If I were really sleeping, all of it would have recovered. I avoided the villages, doing my best not to attract attention as I headed toward the battlefield. Convincing myself that my realm would hold strong, and that not many Winters would be murdered, I tried to push away all thoughts of doubt.

I followed the cries of battle into a place where Summer and Winter were clashing. I heard a surprised cry, and I turned to the side. A Summer knight held his sword and prepared to attack me. I drew my own, concentrating. Then, without sound, I flung an ice spear at him. He flinched, and this was enough for me to defeat him. I quickly advanced, taking out any Seelie (and trying not to get in the way of Unseelie), and ran over to Mab.

I paused when I passed Sage, and watched as he defeated several Summer fey, the slashes of his sword graceful and sure. Deciding that he didn't need help, I approached Mab as she shouted orders at the Unseelie knights. She noticed me, and her eyes narrowed. "Diana. Why didn't you come earlier? First Rowan disappears to who-knows-where, and now you can't even defend your home?" Her voice was cold, devoid of any emotion. It was as if she was disappointed, and I said nothing. That was fine. I was used to it.

It was quite obvious that she would not allow a healer to help Ash, so I decided that I would find a healer myself. I shook my head at her, and I tried my best not to sound hurt. Unfortunately, this made my voice equally cold. "I need something to do something. I will help when I am finished."

She said nothing, instead choosing to simply glare at me. I held her gaze, before she turned back to the map and shouted orders. I quickly ran off before she noticed again, and I went into one of the tents. The knights hesitated before parting and allowing me entrance. I walked into the space, and resisted the urge to smile at my luck. The healer inside was none other than the one that had cured Sage of his iron poisoning. He was skilled, I knew, and he could help Ash.

"Oh, princess. What is it?" He looked up from stirring a greenish liquid, and I quickly explained the situation.

"So, will you go with me to the human world?" I left out the part that the queen must not notice, but he seemed to know anyway. He said nothing for a long time, simply choosing to stare at me. Then, he sighed and I had a sinking feeling that I would be manipulated into another contract. At this point in time though, with my own mother very annoyed at me, my eldest brother engaged in war, a dark secret that I could not recall, and Ash barely conscious, I couldn't bring myself to care.

"I do not like this war. There seems to be no point. Winter fey are dying, and I cannot bear it." His voice was soft and it seemed to hold so much wisdom. He seemed almost aged since the last time we met, and I found it hard to believe that he was expressing his emotions so openly. "If helping his highness will stop the war, I will do it. I will come with you, princess, and I will ask nothing in return. If the war is halted, that will be compensation enough."

I nodded, grateful. We left through the back of the tent, and I used my glamour to cloak both of us in darkness. We hurried along the Winter landscape to the nearest trod, and I led him through the Mortal world to the place where Ash was waiting. Of course, the healer gnome had issues with our arrival. "Oh, great! I could take the fact that you were trying your best not to kill me, but now you doubt my skills and bring one of your own!? What was the point of me being here anyway?"

"Peace. I only wish to restore health to my prince. I have no desire to compete with you." The healer next to me was surprisingly civil, and the Summer blinked, just as surprised as I.

"I suppose it's alright…But don't break anything! I didn't want to heal the Winter prince anyway." The gnome grumpily opened the door, and we followed her into the room where Meghan and Ash were talking. I didn't know what they were talking about, but they looked up as we entered, and Ash gave a sigh of relief, causing the Summer healer to glare at him.

Meghan blinked in confusion, and I explained to the both of them. "I went to the battlefield to ask the help of a Winter healer. That way, Ash's energy can be regained." I made sure to leave out the part where it was partly because I was afraid that Meghan's healer would 'accidently' poison him. Mab was already in quite the bad mood because someone tried to kill Sage. I didn't even want to begin to consider what she would do if she found out that a Summer may have poisoned Ash.

The healer reached into his bag, and pulled out a pale silver flower. He began talking to the Summer gnome about something (I think it was that he needed boiling water), and I leaned against the wall, trying to regain the memories I lost. What had happened in Tir Na Nog? A smell drifted into the air, and my gaze drifted over to the place where the two healers were examining herbs and debating about something.

It smelled faintly of something like in a dream, and I blinked and quickly covered my mouth. It was too late, because I could feel the effects of the strange scent as it flowed through me. A sharp pain traveled through my head, and I gave a gasp. The room became blurry, and the floor began to spin. Images flooded through me, and voices spoke in urgent, hushed whispers.

I saw a figure in a dark room, raising his sword and saying goodbye. I saw that same figure dart across the shadows with inhuman grace, saw him raise his sword as we were locked in combat. I saw a flash of the regret in his blue eyes, and I could taste blood as I bit down upon my lip, not willing to believe. Rowan. The figure was Rowan.

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AN

I am very touched by your reviews! And by the fact that so many people read this story. I feel bad for not updating in a while, and I now apologize for that. I was unable to reply by PM to the latest reviews, so I will say it here. Thank you very much! I am not a professional writer, though I am touched that you think I am! I'm sure that everyone can become a good writer if they only have imagination. No one should reject an idea before trying to write about it first. You never know what might become an amazing story! There is always room for improvement, and reviews are appreciated! Please leave one! Once again, thank you all very much.

-Lapis Moon


	36. Chapter 36: Winter's Realization

"Rowan…He..." My voice was a low murmur, soft and disbelieving. Ash nodded sadly.

"He did betray us, Diana." His gray eyes were calm, but there was a hint of regret that he failed to conceal. He closed his eyes, as if trying to accept the fact.

"He tried to kill me," I whispered, taking a deep breath. I never would have believed that this would happen. "He stopped though…but…" He had stopped. If he hadn't, I wouldn't be standing here now. For some unknown reason, my heartless brother had stopped himself from killing me.

Ash said nothing, and even Meghan was silent. The healer had scrambled out of the room, not wanting to get involved in politics. Or maybe he was just afraid that we might accidently freeze him out of anger. Either way, his reason was valid. Ash looked mostly recovered, though the main problem now was his glamour. He needed to restore it, I was sure. Meghan finally broke the suffocating silence. "Oh, we were planning to go to the dance, which if Ash weren't injured, I never would have gone to. It's full of glamour, so we thought it would help."

A mortal version of a ball? I raised an eyebrow at Ash. He had always hated the dances at home, with all the arrogant nobles and the over-decorated rooms. He sighed. "I have no choice. What will you do?"

"I'll help retrieve the scepter, because I have no wish for the world to be destroyed." I paused for a second. "As for Rowan, I don't want to tell Mab until I know his intentions and his reasons. Mab would certainly…" I didn't finish my sentence. Based on the slight wince and the horrified look that Ash and Meghan gave, I didn't need to.

"That would be best. To investigate his reasons. However, you shouldn't go to the Iron Kingdom to find out. That place is..." Ash looked away, and for that brief second, I could have sworn that there was pain in his eyes at the memory. Then, it quickly vanished. It was rare, for Ash to lose his control over his nearly perfect mask. If it had slipped, that meant that the Iron kingdom was not exactly pleasant.

"He's not exactly a good person, but sorry it was him." Based on Meghan's tone, I could infer that she didn't exactly like Rowan. What did he do to her? To Ash? I wanted to find out. The problem would be finding him. If he was near Mab at the moment, I would rather not go. After all, Mab was already in a bad mood. If she were to find out that Rowan was a traitor…It would also be undoubtedly hard to hide the truth from Sage. Due to the very fact that he had survived in the Winter court for longer than any of us, I was sure that detecting that something was off would be much too easy for him.

Nevertheless, I needed to know what really happened. Just as I was considering my next course of action, the cat trotted into the room. "Princess. You're back. I have to admit, I too am curious as to why the second Winter Prince would betray his kingdom."

"Are you saying that you will help me?" I tried to disguise my hope. Despite the fact that the cat was annoying, he was knowledgeable, and this would definitely aid me.

"Perhaps. Though I want a very small favor in return." He seemed to smirk at me, and I wanted to freeze him.

"No, then. I'll just ask the oracle." I wasn't exactly eager to return to the Voodoo museum, but I didn't have many choices. It was better than a favor to that cat. My instincts screamed at me not to accept the deal, and I agreed with them. It was much too dangerous.

"What will you offer to the oracle in return?" Grim seemed to smile again, and both Ash and Meghan turned to look at me.

"She took a memory from me," Meghan commented helpfully. "Obviously, I have no clue which one, but her prices are really steep." I considered that. I didn't have many memories that were extremely precious to me. Besides, there weren't many things I wouldn't give up to discover the reason behind my brother's betrayal.

"That's fine," I said, heading towards the door. "After I'm done, I'll come find you. Then, we'll search for the scepter." They nodded their consent, and I left. I refused to let myself think about Rowan. Not until I knew the full truth would I suspect him of true betrayal.

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AN

Sorry that this chapter is both short and late! Anyway, I can't believe that this is the 36th chapter! Thank you to all my reviewers and my readers. You are my motivation. Please review!

-Lapis Moon


	37. Chapter 37: Winter's Last Wish

_A heart empty and devoid of light,_

_The Winter prince extends his hand._

_To the king who knows not true delight,_

_But rather brings bane to kin and land._

The oracle had rasped the answer to the question of what Rowan had allied himself to. 3 questions in return for a memory. I hadn't hesitated. No memory was as important as Rowan. All of us were distant in a way, fearing feelings of love. But, at the same time, I suspected that we all knew that we couldn't run away from some feelings. Despite all, I truly had nothing in my vast collection of memories that could compare to the answers I needed. After all, they were all memories in the physical world. There, everyone was cold and cruel, even if they were only acting. "What are his intentions?"

_The Winter child's heart is lost,_

_Longing for power in its steed, _

_His soul is made of ice and frost,_

_And he does all to sate his greed._

He wanted power? I had frozen for an entire minute, and the oracle patiently awaited my last question. "Is there any good left in him?" When the oracle opened her gaping mouth, I immediately feared the answer.

_In his soul, light is all but gone,_

_And he knows not of his own mistake._

_He no longer cares for right or wrong._

_For Death has become his only escape._

There was good then. There was, though it was evident that the only way for him to escape the evil was death. Was there another way? From the words of the oracle, I knew there wasn't. My mind had gone numb at the realization, and I couldn't think of anything but the last phrase of the oracle. For Death has become his only escape. It replayed over and over in my head, and it seemed as if I was already mourning Rowan. As if, now, I was accepting the fact that he was dead to me.

* * *

As I walked back towards the place where the rest of them were supposedly dancing, my mind tried its best to linger upon subjects irrelevant to my second brother. I briefly wondered what memory she had taken. She said that the price would be steep, so I realized that she would have taken a memory that was warm. It would be rare in my mind, because so few of my memories were filled with something other than coldness and cruelty.

I didn't feel like there was a gaping hole in my mind waiting to be filled. Instead, I felt perfectly normal. When she extracted the memory, there had been pain, but none of it lingered. Despite my best attempts, my mind still drifted to Rowan. Had he truly become so greedy for power? I realized that the greed had always been there. He had always watched Sage with a jealousy of sorts. And maybe he saw Ash as a threat to his unlikely succession.

He had never even considered me a rival, because he knew that I would never have the chance to get the throne. For some reason, that hurt, though his current predicament was even more painful in my mind. Mab would most certainly kill him if she knew. Even though I knew it was wrong, I wished her never to know.

I remembered Ash, cold and distant after a certain period of time. Perhaps he had grown? Nevertheless, he had suddenly shut himself away from the court. It was as if he felt dead, as if all his actions were based on instinctive need rather than want. But, even so, he was still there. I knew that he had still been capable of smiling. If Mab found out, Rowan would not only be lifeless to his heart, but lifeless to the world.

I reached the location that Ash had told me, blinking at the loud noises erupting from behind the decorated closed doors. Wondering if I should enter, I stood there, trying to hear Ash's voice. It was emotionless as usual, faint because the door was closed. He was rejecting some kind of invitation to dance.

I noticed the cat by the door, and his wise eyes watched me with a sort of curiosity, before he finally spoke. "Ironhorse said that Prince Rowan gave him a letter. To show one of his siblings." He used his glamour to pull it out of the air, and I guessed that he had been keeping it the entire time. Rowan? I took the letter from him, opening it half in curiosity and half in caution.

The handwriting was definitely his, the neat and graceful penmanship of a royal. At the same time, it was almost a bit disorganized, as if he had written it while being deep in thought. The sky was dark, and with my fey vision, I could make out some stars shimmering dimly in the black nothingness. They seemed to make the ink shimmer at the edges. He had used a faery writing utensil, and not one of the iron kingdom. For that I was glad.

_Before my dying breath, I ask that you meet me alone. _

He knew. He knew that he was going to die. And he was prepared for it. His heart may have been overcome by greed, but the good in him wished to escape by death. I assumed that he wanted somehow to atone for his sins, and it warmed me. It seemed that the one who had held the pen when writing this letter had not been Rowan, the second prince of the Winter court, but rather Rowan, my older brother.

* * *

AN

How was this chapter? I apologize if it seemed out of character, but I had a feeling that Rowan wasn't entirely bad. Anyway, please give me any suggestions or comments on my writing. Reviews are greatly appreciated, and they encourage me to update faster. Thank you to all those who did review, and all my readers as well.

-Lapis Moon


	38. Chapter 38: Winter's Resolve

I held the crumpled letter in my hand, examining it carefully, searching for a hidden meaning. Or perhaps an explanation. I really didn't understand him at times. He may have been ready to offer something before his death, or he might be ready to stab me. Strangely, Rowan's mind was the hardest to read. It was like, when he wore a mask of being heartless, I could tell that he wasn't. Or maybe that was just a mask beneath a mask. When he did show emotions, there was no telling whether it was because he possessed a heart, or because he was acting. So, in summarized form, he wore so many masks that it was a miracle that he still remembered who he actually was. If he did.

Sounds of music that appealed to the humans rang from the building, and Grim did nothing but stare at the letter in my hand thoughtfully. We were still waiting for Ash to recover. When the cat finally broke the thoughtful silence, his voice was wary. "Will you tell the Winter Prince?"

"Of the letter? What would Ash do, I wonder?" I closed my eyes, trying to predict it. What would Ash think of the situation? Would he want to be the one to meet Rowan? Or would his wish be to become the cause of Rowan's death?

Love was blinding, or so our mother said. It was quite evident to everyone around Ash and Meghan that they had feelings for each other. I had never felt love that way, so I had no way of knowing. Exactly how blind would it make Ash? Enough to deprive him of thousands of years of memories? He had been in love before, though, I knew something was missing from my memories. For the life of me, I couldn't remember what.

Nevertheless, I knew how it could fill the void that was undoubtedly Ash's heart. For that very fact, he was willing to sacrifice his family, his kingdom, his title, and his very self. A wry smile curled my lips at the ridiculousness of it all. In a way, Ash was the most vulnerable to emotions. After all, his heart was not made of solid ice, but was rather an empty shell, waitting to be filled. I was pulled away from my thoughts when the cat spoke again. "The oracle's price. It was not cheap." It was a low murmur, seemingly addressed to himself more than me. I pretended not to hear.

"I've made my decision. Ash will not know of this." As I spoke, the cat watched me with curious eyes. "There is room in his heart no longer for his traitor brother," I softly added. The cat seemed to smile, though there was no humor in it. For some reason, I had a feeling that he would not be the one to tell. After all, it would entangle him into our family affairs, and I knew that he had no wish to partake in our problems.

Ash didn't need to know. A very small part of me was secretly angry at him, to be able to so easily throw everything away. It was angry that he would most certainly chose a Summer half-breed over his own siblings, proven by the fact that he was rather willing to injure Rowan in his escape with Meghan. Back then, he had not done anything wrong. I was sure that if he had just continued to ignore her, continued to acknowledge the fact that she had no place with him, all would still be alright. But I knew that it was a lie. That was out of his control, and, from the very beginning, he didn't seem to belong in Tir Na Nog. That was the selfish part of my thoughts.

Even so, that part of me selfishly thought that I didn't want Rowan's last words to be lost, for I knew that Ash would not care. Or perhaps my choice was motivated by the fear that he would not care. He had chosen Meghan over Rowan once. I had no doubt that he would not hesitate to do it again.

Clouds covered the stars gradually, and I vaguely noticed that the temperature had begun to drop. That was the first sign that something was off. Grimalkin's eyes narrowed as the gray clouds that adorned the sky became heavier, signaling precipitation. "Princess. I trust that you will not cause abnormal changes that will make us stand out?"

"It's not me." I scanned the area, searching for signs of another Winter faery, though I knew that it was unlikely. Few had this power, to change the temperature so drastically. The only other faery in the area that was capable was Ash, who I assumed was fairly lacking of glamour at the moment. Small puffs of snow began to drift through the air, and Grim's eyes narrowed into slits.

"I will get the others. Try to stop it." He gracefully leaped to the door, looking back to see if I agreed.

"I'm not a Summer faery. I cause cold, not stop it," I muttered, glaring at the sky. Of course, nothing happened. "Probably the scepter." Whoever had the scepter right now wasn't supposed to. It was supposed to belong to Mab, who would keep the cold away for the moment in the human world.

Grimalkin said nothing, and when I looked back, he was gone, the door slightly opened. A few minutes of staring at the sky and trying to make it warmer (and failing) later, Grim trotted out, followed by a confused Meghan, a laughing Puck, and an indifferent Ash. Who turned to me, sighing. "Assuming that Diana has managed to keep her calm, it seems that the scepter's effects are becoming more apparent."

"Maybe." I murmured, and Ash blinked at my tone. Grim sighed at us.

"Ironhorse is waiting, at the place where the scepter may be."

"Waiting, as in standing still and waiting normally, or defeating the entire Iron army and then standing still and waiting normally?" Puck said, causing Meghan to nod once. Ironhorse didn't seem like the type of faery to wait normally at all, in my opinion.

"I told him to wait. And that I would bring along you lot along. Then, we can begin defeating the entire Iron army." Grim licked his paw, causing Meghan to glare at him. After a bit of considering, I came to the conclusion that Rowan was most likely not where we were going, so the contents of the letter could wait.

"Then let us get going." A shadow had darkened Ash's gray eyes, and I knew that he wanted revenge. I pitied Virus for a second. Grim gave what I thought to be the cat version of a smirk, and he licked his paw again.

"I will call the Host." At his nonchalant words, a shiver went through my body, and it took all my power not to show the fear that grew inside me.

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AN

I thank you all for the reviews! Anyway, I apologize for the fact that half this chapter included Diana randomly thinking. I'll try to write a bit faster. As usual, please review!

-Lapis Moon


	39. Chapter 39: Iron's Lair

To be perfectly honest, I felt very childish right now. My mood caused by all the tension (and my probably unjustified anger at Ash) was making me unsociable to the rest of our group. My answers or comments to anything were nothing more than 3-word responses in an icy, clipped tone. It was one of those rare moments, when some sort of unhappiness caused by a not very valid reason makes people mad at the entire world.

Maybe it was Rowan's predicament, I reasoned. Or maybe it was Ash's resolve. Or maybe it was the presence of the cat. Perhaps it was the fact that we were approaching Ironhorse's location. I suspected it to be a combination. Either way, the fact remained that I was very unapproachable right now, even if I didn't mean to be. Ash let out an almost silent sigh, pulling Meghan slightly away from the range of my glamour when she shivered. She gave him a smile, and his eyes seemed to light up with emotion for a second, before it flickered away, leaving his usual impenetrable mask.

Ironhorse snorted as the cat accused him of impatience, making steam drift into the air. I winced at the unexpected burst of heat, trying to wave it away with my glamour. The cat gave a sort of feline laugh, before hopping down and leading us into what I was beginning to think of as the building of death. Again, I cursed the humans' choice of architecture. Why iron? Why not silver, or gold, or bronze? Why the one metal that has to be deadly to my very existence?

Our surroundings were like an old factory, I noted. Bits of rust adorned the aging metal, and I briefly wondered if it would burn to the touch. We were all silent as we walked, wary of our surroundings. I think that everyone knew what would happen if we were to make a single mistake. An iron faery that could so easily defeat and control my brother. The thought scared me. Ash had always been a powerful swordsman, able to match Rowan when only half our second brother's age. It was a bit scary, to think that a single group of fey could even survive meeting him, much less defeat him.

The atmosphere was unnaturally tense, and I suspected that everyone came to a similar conclusion. For a while, no one said a word. Even Ironhorse, who was usually yelling in that unbearably loud voice was quiet, his eyes scanning his surroundings. A pattering sound echoed through the space, and my hand flew to my sword, relieved when it made contact with the familiar icy hilt. Ash, senses just as sharp as mine, quickly scanned the room, silver eyes narrowed.

To be honest, I was expecting a large iron monster that resembled Ironhorse, made of a deadly substance lethal enough to kill me. Instead, my gaze landed upon a small iron creature, its sharp claws the only sign of danger. Besides the fact that it was still one of the iron fey. Ash visibly stiffened, and his gaze shifted into a glare. He shot an accusing look at Ironhorse, who shook his head. "THE GREMLINS ARE HARMLESS. THEY ARE ALSO COWARDLY. THEY WON'T APPROACH DANGEROUS OPPONENTS."

"Harmless? They tried to kill me in the mines. And I take great offense in your second comment. Either you are insinuating that you yourself are lying, or you just insulted my bloodline." Ash drew his sword, and I had a feeling that, either way, he was very insulted. His voice was icy cold, and the air grew frigid with his glamour. The tip of his blade, however, was pointed at the gremlin, a gesture that meant he acknowledged that Ironhorse wasn't the real threat right now.

"THEY WILL OBEY THE IRON KING. BUT, IF THEY HAVE NO LEADER, THEY ARE HARMLESS." Even as Ironhorse spoke, Ash shot glances at the gremlin, his eyes filled with a sort of anger. His expression was emotionless, though, due to the experience I had at peering through the cracks in peoples' masks, I could tell that he held a sort of grudge against them. The gremlin stared back, bright eyes wide. Then, without a warning, it scurried off, and the pattering faded.

"Ignore it. How do you guys plan to pass that wall?" Meghan gestured to said obstacle, and Puck rolled his eyes. It was blocking our way, and we wouldn't be able to pass with it standing there.

"Fly," the Summer jester said, as if that one word was the answer to all our problems.

"Glamour," Ash and I said at the same time. We could freeze the surface, then somehow make our way up. It was easier for Winter fey, after all, to walk on ice. Meghan looked like she wanted to roll her eyes.

"Ironhorse and I can't exactly get up there as easily as you can."

"Ironhorse is the only problem. Ash is fully capable of helping you climb," I mused, watching Ironhorse. Ash turned to gaze at the wall, probably trying to think of another solution.

"Well, that certainly sounds promising. For disaster that is. The human is the Summer princess, as you all remember. She will not do as well on an icy surface as you Winter fey." The cat seemed, once again, to appear out of nowhere. Also, I was wondering how he had figured out my plan. What was annoying was how logically correct his theory actually was. "I have found an elevator."

"I hate closed spaces. It gives the enemy more opportunities to kill you. Especially in their own territories." In the Unseelie court, I doubted that anyone actually liked me enough to not think of assassinating me at least once. This didn't include my brothers (save for Rowan. I suspect he's had the thought more than once), or perhaps my mother, but it still made me wary.

"VIRUS IS THE TYPE OF PERSON TO WANT TO KILL PEOPLE IN A FLASHY WAY. SHE WOULD MUCH RATHER USE MORE DIRECT METHODS."

"Our definitions of direct methods seem to differ. I don't call controlling a powerful ancient faery to threaten the family of the girl she's targeting 'direct'." It was true. I really didn't. I would be lying if I said that I didn't still hold a grudge against Virus for that incident.

"It is safe, princess. I have examined it. I suggest that we stop wasting time on useless arguments." The cat licked his paw, a bored look of exasperation in his eyes. I glared at him, not trusting.

"Grim is usually right." Meghan shrugged, and Puck laughed lightly, though caution was still present in his gaze. Meghan glanced at Ash, who sighed and followed Grim. I blinked in amazement. Trust was truly a powerful thing. Ironhorse gave me a slightly smug look, and Grim watched me patiently. I gave another sigh.

"Very well. Allow us to follow the cat to our deaths." Somehow, the sarcasm in my tone didn't seem like a lie.

* * *

AN

I am very, very, very sorry for not updating in a while. I have to apologize. Nevertheless, I really appreciated the reviews! Thank you all, and, as always, please review!

-Lapis Moon


	40. Chapter 40: Iron's Army

Somehow, this entire situation screamed the word "trap". Normally, when protecting something important, one of the most obvious battle strategies was to simply lure them into a single area, and then take care of all of them at the same time. I couldn't think of a better way to lure earthbound enemies than to place a usable elevator right in front of them. I cursed both my overthinking and my heightened senses. I could hear strange chattering and some kind of pattering above us, and it naturally made me uncomfortable.

Ash kept glancing around as well, years of living in the Unseelie court making him just as weary. Meghan was a bit more relaxed, the dangers of our too-convenient situation probably not crossing her mind. Though her father's blood allowed her natural skill in battle to some extent, she was still human, and inexperienced. Puck seemed to want to keep it that way, because he went to great lengths to disguise the fact that he was just as wary as the other fey. Probably to keep from worrying her. Grim's eyes shined, and, when he glanced at me, I somehow knew that he was thinking the same thing. Something was wrong. Everything was too easy.

Every second that passed made me even more cautious, and my grip on the hilt of my sword tightened a considerable amount, so much that I could feel the ice of the blade digging into my palm. I focused on the chattering, closing my eyes to better concentrate. It sounded like the gremlins from before. However, they were out of my reach, so I did nothing. Ash's gray eyes were narrowed in concentration, and they darted around the area, calmly analyzing the situation. Perhaps it was due to our extreme awareness that made me jump when the rusty doors opened.

An empty floor, or so I initially thought. Now, I could see that, directly below it, the iron fey were laughing and cheering. The poison of the metal tainted the air, and I tried to hold my breath, not wanting it to burn my lungs. Ash showed less of a reaction, and I assumed it was because he had felt much worse pain. Puck was, once again, hiding his discomfort for the sake of the Summer Princess, who, along with Ironhorse, seemed incomprehensibly unaffected.

"We need to begin our battle. Our main target is the scepter. Where's Virus? Grim?" Meghan turned to the cat, who gave a tired yawn.

"I suspect she's hiding somewhere, but that would mean one of our group that is strong enough to grab her attention must act as bait." The cat's shining eyes landed on Ironhorse, and then the rest of the full-blooded fey. Somehow, I received the feeling that Grim wanted Ironhorse to volunteer. That anger filled me again, directed solely at the iron fey. Had they not come along, Rowan would still be by our side. Summer and Winter would still have maintained the treaty. Ash would still be unconditionally loyal to the Winter court. Sage would have never been in danger. They tried to assassinate my eldest brother, stole away my second, and gravely injured my third. I would never forgive them.

"I will go." This time, no one argued. Meghan nodded, and started to convey the rest of her plan to the group. Ash looked at me once, before he turned away. Inwardly, I resisted the urge to shiver at my own voice. It was so reminiscent of my mother's. Cold, bloodthirsty, and unforgiving. I drowned out the voices of the others, instead focusing upon the iron fey. I had my own plan. I was sure that one of them knew where Rowan was, and I would convince them to tell me.

"Ice-girl? If you're going to launch yourself into certain death, now is the time." Puck laughed at me, and I didn't even turn back to look. Ironhorse snorted, and steam filled the air for a brief second.

"DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE IRON FEY." His eyes were grim, as he voiced his warning. I leaned over the edge of the floor, and I could see all the iron fey.

"I will not." Meghan and Grimalkin were too busy discussing something, so I figured that the others would tell them. Ash just seemed to stand there, his silver eyes deep in thought. I shook my head at him once last time, and jumped down. Immediately, every faery in the room turned to look at me, eyes wide with both hate and surprise. Mostly hate, which worried me. Especially the Thornguards, though I briefly scanned my memory for whatever I did to them. That was fine, besides the fact that about 100 more fey wanted to kill me. I hated them too.

My glamour flared, and the room dropped a few degrees in temperature. I was nowhere as powerful as Mab, but I wanted to make this battle flashy and obvious, to lure and distract Virus. It seemed to work, because all the iron fey and the Thornguards raised their swords, the points aimed to kill me. I drew my own, relieved at the familiar cold that surrounded my hands, and inwardly wincing at the amount of iron that occupied this room. Truthfully, even I could tell that I was at a huge disadvantage.

My eyes scanned the army before me, trying to calculate how to dodge about 100 weapons at the same time if they decided to attack together. The results weren't in my favor. They seemed to do the same, watching me for any sign of weakness. Taking advantage of their half-distraction, I begun the battle.

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AN

I apologize for this chapter being so short. Life has been a bit busy, but I appreciate the reviews and I'll try to update faster. Thank you again, and please review.

-Lapis Moon


	41. Chapter 41: Winter's Battle

My logic told me that, to make a battle sufficiently flashy, glamour is needed. But, as I was battling almost an entire army of iron fey, glamour didn't seem to be helpful. Normally, a few Thornguards were little problem. After all, if their formation were to be broken, they were not very strong as individuals. However, even though I knew how to best defeat them, the method could hardly be realized, as the iron fey were all still scrambling to kill me. Besides, though I knew it was weakness, I was not as cold as Ash. Though just a little, I still hesitated to kill my own kin.

Instead, I dodged their blows, at the same time slashing with my sword the best I could. Still, as I barely escaped death multiple times, I briefly wondered what I was really fighting for. And, a small part of my mind foolishly deliberated whether or not Ash really cared if I died. It was a childish thought, and I immediately dismissed it. It didn't matter, I tried to convince myself. I wasn't as good a fighter as my brothers, and the enemy fey kept coming. I gave up using both hands to grasp the hilt of my sword for strength, and instead used my left hand to shoot ice daggers at whoever came too close. It was a bit better, but I began to doubt I was actually doing anything worthwhile. The iron swords that were used weakened me, and every tiresome attack seemed to slowly drain my strength. I knew that I could not go on much longer. However, the stubborn, influenced by the nature of Winter part of me refused to show weakness.

It was that pure resolve that kept me alive. For a second, I glanced at my brother, and I could see that he was staring back at me with hard gray eyes. Meghan was watching me with a sort of worry, while Puck nonchalantly leaned against the wall, sharpening his daggers. Grim curiously watched me as well, and I wondered not for the first time what he was really thinking. I stepped back, a bit exhausted. To my dismay, I could see that I had really taken down no more than a few. They still had an entire army. I regretted my arrogance. I wasn't any stronger than Ash, who had been defeated once.

Still, my pride refused to allow me to lower my sword, and I held it still, even if my hands were beginning to grow tired. I had not brought enough chaos. I didn't have the power to be a sufficient distraction. For some reason, my mother's disappointed expression clouded my mind for a second, reminding me of the time when she once watched me spar with my brothers. She knew it too. I was too weak.

Some kind of cold fury grew in me. I didn't ask to be weak. I didn't ask to be unable to protect the ones I cared about. I didn't ask to be part of a home where few cared about me anyway. A layer of frost covered the floor, and icy cold began to drift through the room. Even the iron fey shivered. This wasn't the Nature. I was in complete control. I was still very aware of my exhaustion as well, and I knew that this was my last, desperate burst of glamour.

The Thornguards took a step back, more aware of the power of the Winter fey when provoked than their iron comrades. "Well, well. I can't say I prefer the cold. It does seem to introduce such negative thoughts, doesn't it?" Virus voice filled the room, and it suddenly grew quiet. She held the scepter in her hands, though it was the wrong color. It wasn't the icy, frost covered surface that Sage loved to watch. Instead, it was an ugly green, pulsing with a power that was both foreign and sickening to me. "Don't be so easily discouraged!" Virus glared at her army. "She's only another little insignificant child of the soon-to-be crushed Winter queen. We took out one of Mab's sons already!"

At her words, my temper flared again, and I watched my own comrades out of the corner of my eye. Meghan, Puck, Grim, and Ash were all discussing something. Ironhorse rolled his eyes for a second, and he looked as if he wanted to jump. He met my gaze, and his meaning was clear. Distract Virus for a moment. "I seem to recall you requiring quite a vast amount of numbers to defeat my brother. And added to the advantage you have of iron weapons, I don't think your strength is anything to brag about." I managed to keep the exhaustion out of my voice, shooting Virus a smirk.

Ironhorse seemed like he didn't want to take it anymore, because he leaped down, shaking the floor with tremors. He immediately threw the entire room into utter chaos, breathing fire and stomping on anyone who came too close. The expression on Virus's face that moment was rather amusing, before it immediately morphed to anger. Ash gracefully landed as well, drawing his sword and slashing skillfully at anyone within range. I took a deep breath, before joining the battle once more.

Iron fey were launching iron projectiles at us, and one of them only slightly touched the side of my arm, and I could feel the burn of the deadly metal. It was still weakening me, but I raised my sword to knock the iron knight out of my way. Though the Thornguards were making use of our weakness, it was their weakness as well, so their fighting skills seemed depleted and half-hearted. They were much easier targets, and I must have taken out more of Rowan's guards than the iron fey. There was confusion everywhere, and I vaguely remembered the scepter.

Virus gave a gasp, and everyone halted their attacks for a moment to stare. Ash's sword was glowing with blue light, and Virus was watching him with utter disbelief. "How did you free yourself of my bug?" Truthfully, I was wondering the exact same thing, though now was not the time to question a blessing. Meghan said nothing, and Puck shielded her from any fey that came too close, making use of his wicked daggers with a predatory grin. Ash glared at Virus, obviously not pleased with the memory. "Well, no matter. Soon, our forces will take over Tir Na Nog, Arcadia, and the Wyldwood. Nothing will remain of the weak ancient fey! You can do nothing to stop the inevitable-" She never got to finish, because apparently my brother decided that he would rather aim icy projectiles at her face than listen to her speech.

Quite unfortunately, despite his well-known aim, she managed to evade them, and she seemed a lot angrier now. The guards seemed to reflect her emotions, because they raised their iron crossbows and fired, even as she screamed at them otherwise. I tried to repress a shudder as they whizzed through the air. I once again cursed my oversensitive vision at times such as these, for I could see every detail of the arrows that would probably be my death. Puck, Ironhorse, and even Ash all shifted with their fey speed, so they were all shielding Meghan. I made a move towards them, desperate to do something, before the arrows simply paused in midair.

Everyone in the room was once again stunned speechless as the iron weapons hung motionless, defying both the recent concept of physics, and the ancient concept of common sense. I blinked, wondering what force had just saved me from my death. Common sense that seemed not be valid anymore pointed at Meghan as the cause, who was raising her arm and concentrating. "Impossible! How? The powers of the Iron King should have been mine!" Virus glared at Meghan in pure hatred, and I wondered what she was referring to. Meghan seemed to have no clue either.

The arrows clattered harmlessly to the ground, and I drew a sharp breath, just realizing how close to death I had really come. Virus was smirking still, and my eyes narrowed, wondering why I felt so uneasy. She raised her hand, and a large cloud surrounded her, buzzing with noises that made my head spin. Iron bugs. I could see that Ash involuntarily took a step back. Even so, he seemed to swallow his fear in favor of once again shielding Meghan. Virus, raised her arm, still smug. The great cloud rushed over us, and, for some unknown reason, I felt that my brother's life was more precious than my own. At that moment, I knew that, no matter what, Virus would never harm Ash again.

Meghan seemed to try and concentrate, and I decided to try to give her time. I gathered Winter glamour, feeling the familiar cold envelope me once more, though knowing that this amount of power was unnatural. Would it be fair? To draw upon the Nature now? With my mind in such a confused state, I would probably lose control. I would have no power to fight the darkness that would soon cloud my mind. In that state, I would probably be better dead. "Ash." My voice was barely above a whisper, as the cloud drew closer. "If I become like mother, kill me." Then, all at once, both cold glamour and cold indifference gripped my heart.

* * *

AN

Again, I felt a bit bad for not giving a good update in while. Anyway, thank you sincerely for all the reviews, and thank you for reading this at all. Please review!

-Lapis Moon


	42. Chapter 42: Winter's Power

Everything was so cold, even though, ironically, I couldn't feel cold. Perhaps it was just fear that gripped my heart and poisoned the air. I caught a glance at my own reflection in the shattered iron pieces that were scattered amongst the ground, and I almost took a step backwards when I saw my own eyes. They were no longer filled with doubt, instead taken over by the pale blue color of confidence and absolute ice. The buzzing of the iron bugs was drawing near now, and, unconsciously, I drew upon the horrible cold.

It consumed me, but it also eliminated at least half the bugs. Meghan seemed in control now, her own eyes filled with resolve and determination as she held her hand out, stopping the bugs that remained. I concentrated as well, commanding a wave of cold that shattered Virus's cursed insects, breaking them to pieces with the extreme temperature. Virus glared at me with a burning hate, and I calmly stared back, the power of the Nature causing frost to crawl up the walls.

This was not me. It was not me who was glaring coldly at Virus, not me who was calmly causing the room to drop at least 20 degrees in temperature. I felt like a puppet, and I couldn't control my movements at all. My mind was concentrating on one thing. To gain more power, I must kill, it reasoned. The Nature hissed in agreement, and I felt like I was trapped in the darkness, unable to banish such thoughts from my mind. I was naïve, too foolish. This power was inherited in the blood of Mab, meant to be used when one succeeded her as the new Winter ruler. I was a fool, to think I could possibly control it.

The way the Nature so naturally influenced my thoughts and poisoned my very soul with its cold made me realize that, the last few times, it was merely toying with me. It had the power to control me. It wanted to kill, and my body obeyed, even though I inwardly screamed at myself not to. I felt frozen, not able to move as I continued to calmly glare at Virus, my gaze promising a fate worse than death. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Ash silently make his way behind her, wielding his sword with determination in his gray eyes. I watched without a single sound as he slashed her, ending Virus's life with his graceful cut.

It would have felt like a dream, when the remaining iron fey and Thornguards scattered, if not for the fact that I was trapped in a nightmare. There was fighting around me, and it took all my power to keep the Nature focused upon my enemies, instead of my own friends. Virus's body disintegrated, and the scepter broke away from her clutches.

The Scepter fell to the ground, the ugly green color fading from its design. Somewhere in the battle, Ironhorse must have fallen. I barely noticed, trying to make the cold go away. Meghan was mourning him now, and Robin stood guard over her, shooting wary glances my way. He, as an ancient and powerful Summer faery, knew the evil that ran through my veins at that moment. Meghan shivered again, and Ash sent a stony glare at me. He was upset, for some reason. I didn't know why, and I found that the Nature didn't care.

The Nature seemed to laugh, and darkness filled me again. Like the times before, I tried to draw it inside myself, not wanting it to take over me. I needed to awaken. If I didn't, I would kill everyone here, I realized. This was the evil of Winter's royal blood. As a child, I always hated the fact that I would never gain the ability to succeed my mother. It was what saved me now. The Nature was the sleeping power that awakened when one became the new ruler of the Unseelie fey. The very fact that I had already accepted that no one would ever recognize me as such gave me control, even if it was just for a second. "Ash…kill me. Now!"

Ash drew his sword. "Ice-boy! What's wrong with you? You aren't seriously…" Robin glared at Ash, green eyes narrowed in a combination of disgust and disbelief. Even so, I knew that most of his thoughts agreed with what Ash was going to do.

"It's Meghan, or my little sister that has lost control. Which would you choose?" Ash's voice was emotionless and hard, and his movements were graceful and without a hint of hesitation when he lifted his sword. "If I let her live, Diana will kill us all." The way he spoke amazed me. It seemed he held even less regret than Rowan for this task. Though, now that I saw his eyes, I knew that he did regret. For that moment, it was almost as if he was apologizing, before his gaze hardened with resolve once more.

I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the pain. Inwardly, I wanted to cry out, to say that this wasn't how I wanted to die. I was willing to perish to protect the ones I cared about, not by their own hands. And yet, this was for the best. He raised his sword, and Grim's voice broke the tense atmosphere. "Not to interrupt, Prince, but try the scepter. Perhaps you'll find it more effective than your sword." Ash's sword clanged to the ground, and he was by the scepter in a second, his movements relieved yet desperate at the same time.

He touched it, and webs of blue light encased the Scepter of the Seasons, almost as if Mab were touching it right now. It radiated power, and the Nature shivered uncomfortably. The Nature of the Unseelie tried to kill again, tried to harm the ones around me to gain its desired power, but thankfully, Ash was faster. He pointed the scepter at me, drawing his glamour and forcing his magic into it. It let out a bright flash of familiar cold, and the Nature hissed once more. Almost immediately, it crawled back inside of me, and I felt relieved, the cold fear gone from my being.

I closed my eyes for a long moment, recovering from the nightmare. When I opened them, I felt very tired, as if all the power were drawn away from me. Ash was staring at the scepter intently, a bit in amazement, before he held it gently in his hands and approached Meghan. I turned to the cat, for once wordlessly thankful for his intelligence.

Grim watched us curiously, a sort of smug confidence shining in his eyes. "The Scepter was made for those of royal blood. The Unseelie nature is strongest in the Winter royalty. Connect the clues, Princess. It was the most obvious solution." I was too relieved to care what was and what wasn't the solution right now. All that mattered was that the scepter was back, the Nature was gone, and the war could be stopped. The situation would have been perfect, if Meghan wasn't looking with such a sad expression at Ironhorse, whose confident red eyes no longer shined.

* * *

AN

Once again, I changed the plot just a bit. I felt the sudden urge to explain the Unseelie Nature, and I thought that it should have a large role in this story due to its influence on Ash in the _Iron Knight_. It isn't official, but my theory is that it is the source of Mab's extremely strong Winter glamour. I think that it is within her blood. Anyway, thank you for your reviews, and thank you for bearing with me this long. Please review!

-Lapis Moon


	43. Chapter 43: Winter's War

Once again, I felt the sudden, completely childish compulsion to ignore Robin and Ash, who were both currently trying to do their best to make Meghan a bit happier. Though I mourned Ironhorse to a respectful amount, I didn't see why she was so sad at his death. Maybe it was another trait of the Summers, to feel such sadness over the death of one that had only known you for a few days.

Everyone seemed to arrive at the conclusion that we needed to stop the war that was undoubtedly threatening the entire world of faery, so we were curiously watching as Ash did his best to open a gate with the scepter. It was still glowing with that hauntingly beautiful, blue color, and I was sure that the balance of the world had been restored to some extent. Mab's bloodline was once again in possession of the Scepter of the Seasons.

There were many small, almost undetectable tremors in the air as Ash opened a gate to what the humans liked to think of as another dimension. I could have sworn that the power he radiated at that moment was almost tangible. There was a blinding flash, and I looked away, the sudden burst of color making me a bit dizzy. When I opened my eyes, there was a trod to the Wyldwood, and we could all hear the distant cries of battle raging a small distance away.

My glamour was completely depleted at this point, and I really didn't feel like I could survive jumping into a war that involved all the fey rulers and their knights. Nevertheless, I continued on, half due to my pride that refused to allow me to show weakness at all. The cat was staring into the trod, though his wise gaze was a bit unfocused, as if he were deep in thought. He seemed to shake his head, before resuming the task of sighing at the scene of Puck trying his best to make Meghan smile. Ash took a deep breath, and I wondered how it was that he still had so much glamour remaining.

Ignoring them, and too absorbed in my own thoughts, I quickly walked into the trod. They seemed to be still talking, and the trod would stay open as long as Ash still had enough glamour. First of all, I decided, I needed to find Rowan. He would probably have a good explanation to all of this, even if I was reluctant to hear the truth. And besides, I wanted to know when exactly he had begun to hate his family, and perhaps his own realm, so much.

Ash and Meghan would somehow get the scepter to Mab, and Puck would make sure that neither of them died in the attempt. Or, at least, I hope he had the common sense to, for his own well-being. After all, Mab would probably murder him for Ash's sake, and I was fairly sure that Oberon wouldn't be exactly pleased either. The only fey ruler who would rejoice at their deaths would be Titania. I gently shook my head, trying to rid myself of such thoughts. They were too powerful to die so easily.

It had become more than obvious to me, that Ash was in love with Meghan. As proven before, both in Rowan's case and in mine, he thought few things were more important than her safety, if there were any at all. Family certainly didn't matter, though I couldn't blame him for that particular opinion. We had always been a bit distant in our childhood, due to the nature of our court. Nevertheless, I pitied him for that moment, because when Mab found out, he would be forced to forsake her.

A few hundred years ago, there had been a similar case, and the two fey had decided to die together in their exile to the human world. If Ash decided to follow Meghan there, I had no doubt that, even with his power, he would still fade to nothing. Like Ariella. Perhaps, then, he would rejoin his dearest friend in wherever we go when we die, though I knew that it was probably not his wish. I really wondered what he would do. Had Meghan become more important than his life itself?

The more important question that I considered as I made my way over to the battlefield, was whether or not I had the heart to stay should Ash leave. There was no way to truly answer that question at the moment. The sounds of battle were becoming louder, and soon, I found myself gazing down upon the utter chaos of war.

Snapping out of my reverie, I briefly considered what to do. The logical action right now (as not to get killed by Mab), would be to fight the enemies of my court. However, I knew that this entire situation had little to do with them. I resisted the urge to laugh. The day had come. When I was really going against my court to spare the lives of Seelie fey. Shaking my head at all the craziness, I decided to first find Rowan. Taking a deep breath, I joined the battle, armed with nothing more than a sword, a few bits of weak glamour, and a mind filled with jumbled thoughts.

* * *

AN

I am really sorry for the fairly short chapters. I'll try to make them a bit longer, and a bit less...thoughtful. Anyway, I thank you all for reading my story, and please review!

-Lapis Moon


	44. Chapter 44: Winter's Scepter

I slashed mindlessly at anyone who came too close to me, half in self-defense and half in unrivaled desperation. I needed to get to Mab, or to find Rowan. That was the only conscious thought I managed to come up with, before my instincts would take over and I would continue fighting. I doubted that I actually killed anyone, though my mindless movements kept most fey out of my path. Before me was utter chaos, the grounds painted with blood, the air decorated by furious cries, and the battlefield filled with the sounds of clashing swords and flashing glamour.

It was foolish, I knew, for the fey to be fighting each other instead of the actual enemy, but so few of them were aware of the Iron fey. I almost laughed at how quickly everything could change. As soon as Meghan Chase stepped into Faery, thousand-year old treaties crumbled to dust, the threat of never-before-seen iron fey loomed ever closer, and my ice-cold brother fell in love, of all things. Though I knew she had her own reasons for her actions, I couldn't help but realize how easily everything I knew was destroyed.

It was a scary thought that the world could change in the blink of an eye. The time it took for Ariella to close her eyes and perish from the world was what haunted Ash for centuries. It had changed him, and her true demise couldn't have been more than a small fragment of time in our eternal lives. To be perfectly truthful, I was sure that Rowan's betrayal would leave its own scar in all of our minds, for, though we knew he was not kind, he rarely seemed evil.

"Diana." Sage's voice drew me from my reverie, sounding impossibly composed even though there was blood adorning his glowing sword. He greeted me without looking up, not the least bit distracted as he slashed down another Seelie warrior. "The scepter."

"Ash has it," I replied, a bit out of breath now. Sometimes, I thought it weird that it took less energy to mercilessly stab at your enemy than to make defensive stances, careful not to injure. Lowering my sword arm, I raised my left hand and shot ice daggers that purposely scared the Summer off. "Where's Mab?"

In response, he nodded towards the center of the battlefield, and I followed his gaze, watching as Mab conjured another storm of ice daggers and threw them at the Summer fey. "Alright. I need to talk with her." If I was lucky, she would stop the war and spare Ash from a horrible death by her own hand, though I was rarely lucky.

"To get to the center of the battlefield is not a task easily accomplished," Sage murmured, his green eyes not leaving his battle. I wanted to say something back, but, glancing up, I saw that his warning was perfectly justifiable. I hated how right he was at times.

"I'll live." It technically wasn't a lie, because if I didn't, I wouldn't be alive to confirm it as a mistruth. Resisting the urge to once more curse fate, I tightened my grip on my sword and started forward.

It seemed like fate had better things to do than listen to my curses, and instead decided to make me even more confused, for while I was running through the waves of fey soldiers, many of them parted to reveal Meghan riding a _unicorn_ and clutching the Scepter tightly in her hands, chased by Rowan on a _wyvern_. And just when things were beginning to make sense.

I stood there for a few seconds, dumfounded, as the wyvern dove down to try and attack the Summer Princess. Due to the fact that it was a wyvern that was ultimately responsible for Ariella's death, I was automatically disgusted at Rowan's ally, and decided to take it down before doing anything else.

Forming an ice spear out of my slowly recovering glamour, I aimed it at the wyvern who gave shrill cry and dodged the projectile before it hit. The spear burst into millions of ice shards that fell in a tinkling symphony as it hit the ground. Rowan seemed to notice me now, but he rolled his eyes, and made an unfamiliar gesture. I once again thanked my instincts, for they saved me from getting stabbed by a Thornguard.

It was too late to consider how he got there, because generally such things aren't very important when one is trying not to get killed. Blocking his advances with my sword, I noted the Thornguards seemed more tired and a bit weaker than last time. It was probably due to the iron exposure. Deciding that killing would be the most effective choice here, I stabbed forward, and the Thornguard collapsed in a heap of frosty thorn bushes. Sighing, I once more started forward to confront Rowan.

* * *

AN

Thank you for the reviews! They were all very kind, and I appreciated them very, very much. Another short chapter, due to my laziness, which I must apologize for. Anyway, please review! :)

-Lapis Moon


	45. Chapter 45: Winter's Love

It was a mystery how things could get resolved so quickly. By the time I got to Meghan, she had somehow chased Rowan away, and now half the warriors on the battlefield were staring at her in a sort of amazement as she held the glowing white scepter in her hands. That was certainly understandable, to an extent, because after all, the shining object was what they had been fighting for in the first place. By then, I had developed a bit of respect for Meghan, because she was only the half-breed daughter of Oberon, and she had somehow chased away a probably more than 100 times older pureblooded son of Mab. If the Unseelie Queen realized that, she would be even less happy with Rowan.

The ranks of Winter fey parted suddenly, managing to look graceful even though most were undoubtedly injured and weary from battle. Cold tinged the air, a sign of great power in the Unseelie court. Sure enough, Mab strode forward with confidence and grace, Sage warily following her. I took a deep breath and tried not to look as exhausted as I felt. In such dire times, there was no need to add to Mab's already bad mood. She spared me a glance with emotionless black eyes, and it was obvious that she wasn't really pleased with me right now. Though the hatred contained in her stare was nothing compared to the one she directed at Meghan.

"Explain." It was a single word, yet powerful enough to make a shudder run through half the battlefield. Her voice, as always, was impossibly cold, but this time there wasn't even a single shred of kindness or caring. Meghan's eyes narrowed slightly, and I admired her bravery. Though her expression did not show it, I knew she was nervous, for the emotion in her eyes would not lie. Her father was approaching as well, and I warily tightened my grip on my own sword, instinct labeling him as my enemy.

Oberon watched his daughter with the same stern curiosity in Mab's gaze, though his was considerably less murderous. He said nothing in objection to my mother's command, and Meghan finally took a deep breath and spoke. "It was the iron fey! They stole the Scepter! They wanted you to fight, so that everyone would be weak when they invaded!" Her theory certainly made sense, but Mab and Oberon both looked very suspicious of the truth in her explanation. Meghan watched Mab's expression carefully, though I knew she would find no answer there.

Slowly, with calculated wariness, Meghan approached my mother, the Scepter held in front of her as an offering. Mab said nothing, taking it from her hands wordlessly, and the Summer Princess automatically stepped back in avoidance of the cold that was beginning to seep into the air. A bright flash adorned the glowing object, and the white light faded from its shine. In its place, there remained the hue of icy blue, and the Unseelie cheered in a sort of victory as Mab held it up.

Sage watched it with his usual expression of indifference, though a bit of admiration shone in his green eyes. It was this color of the Scepter that he was most willing to see. Meghan observed the Winter Queen for a second longer, before once more speaking, interrupting the brief celebration of my kin. "Rowan. He betrayed you. He was the one that let the iron fey into the castle to steal the scepter in the first place." Her voice was not quiet, and surprisingly, not fearful.

Her father's eyes narrowed in response, as if he thought it was reckless to accuse a Winter prince so readily when they were trying their best to bring peace right now. For once, I agreed. Right now was certainly not the best of times to upset Mab any further, because her current mood was in plain sight. She was very, very upset, and she probably had a right to be in some cases.

Mab's gaze became even colder, if that was possible. The air's temperature dropped rapidly, and many of the Summer fey let out a shiver. Visibly, frost began creeping across the ground, freezing mercilessly everything in its path. Sage, however, gave no reaction of anger, but instead understanding sparked in his icy eyes. Rowan must have found some way to lie to us, that time. Bravely, Meghan held my mother's angered stare, and there was silence between them for several moments. However, at the accusation of the Summer Princess, the Winter fey let out snarls of fury and cries of revenge. I didn't know exactly why, but they were obviously angry that someone had the nerve to accuse their own prince of treason. "You are a half-breed. It is much too easy for you to lie!" Mab's logic was fueled by fact. Though troublesome, it was a valid argument, one Meghan couldn't overcome alone.

Letting out an almost inaudible sigh, I stepped out from where I was mostly unnoticeable, and met my mother's icy gaze. Her eyes narrowed a bit, and I knew from then that I would not receive any better treatment at the moment, despite being her child. I wondered what I had done; to make her so angry. It was probably only irritation at all the events around me, but she was displeased with me nevertheless. "The Summer Princess is speaking the truth. I have witnessed it." My voice was quiet, and I could not summon up the same courage that Meghan had. Her black eyes narrowed, and I resisted the urge to turn away.

"Diana, what are you doing? To defend Oberon's child in her mission of accusing your own brother?" Truthfully, Mab was right. A few weeks ago, I would be asking myself the same question. However, at this point in time, it really had nothing to do with who I was defending. It had more to do with the idea of accusing my brother in the first place. He had gone too far. Oberon himself watched me with wary curiosity, and I had the sudden urge to point out that I really didn't do it for Meghan's sake, though I doubted that would make him very pleased with me.

It must have annoyed Mab further that I failed to provide an adequate answer, because she looked angry, for lack of better vocabulary. Enough so to freeze me in a single second. "I am telling the truth. You cannot accuse me of lying." It was a reckless response to her anger, confirmed when the air grew colder from Mab's mood. At my reply, the Unseelie soldiers hissed in fury. This time, towards me. In their angry whispers, I caught the word 'traitor', though I felt no pain. After all, I was a Winter faery as well. Apparently, they didn't think it was very good to accuse your own kin, even if it was fact. Or perhaps they were just blindly echoing the emotions of their Queen, which did little to make me feel better.

"She's telling the truth. It is fact that Rowan has betrayed us. He played a rather large role in the attempted assassination of Prince Sage, as well as the disappearance of the Scepter." Ash's voice rang through the air, silencing everyone for a second. The Summer warriors visibly tightened their grips on their weapons in response to the arrival of a Winter Prince, though it was obvious he was, in a way, on their side. Robin Goodfellow followed, and between them, I could see they were dragging the form of a Thornguard. "If you don't believe all of us, ask him." Ash threw the former Winter knight forward, and the Thornguard looked nervously at the angry Unseelie Queen.

Mab watched him with impatient eyes, waiting for an explanation. There was a suffocating silence for a moment, and I grudgingly admired the Thornguard's loyalty to Rowan. Though, such loyalty was immediately shattered as soon as Puck decided he was done waiting.

"You know what? Forget that. Try this." Drawing one of his curved daggers, he glared at the Winter faery on the ground before bringing it down. Reflexively, the Thornguard's arms shot up to protect his own life, and Puck grabbed his hand to reveal an iron ring. Gasps of both horror and utter disgust ran through the entire battlefield, and Puck continued to speak, his voice, for once, absolutely serious. "See? All of them have it. If you still don't believe me, check the brambles over there." Making a gesture to the direction with his other knife, he glared once more at the Thornguard. "We left one alive for answers." A wise choice, I thought. Briefly, I wondered whose idea it was.

"Please, my Queen! Spare me! I won't hide anything from you!" And that was about as much as he could manage before Mab encased him in a freezing block of solid ice. The Queen smiled, though there wasn't a shred of kindness. Meghan looked as if she was repressing a shiver, and I sighed.

"Good. He will be very eager to provide me with a much-needed explanation," she mused, and I almost pitied the Thornguard. Almost. Perhaps, despite the way Mab tried to discourage such feelings throughout my childhood, I might have felt bad for him, if his friends hadn't tried several times to kill me. Meghan looked at Ash with a bit of relief that everything about the war had been solved, and he returned the gaze, though the action didn't go unnoticed by Mab.

"Ash. Tell me. What were your motives for helping the Summer half-breed escape Tir Na Nog?" Mab's voice had turned soft, though a bit of irritation still burned in her eyes. The Unseelie Queen sounded surprisingly patient, and I silently hoped that patience wasn't merely an act. Meghan watched Ash with worry, and I noticed that my brother was radiating a sort of confidence and resolve, which made me fear for his life.

"I love her." It was a bold declaration, and even Sage blinked in a bit of confusion. Fey did not lie. He was telling the truth. As impossible as it seemed, the youngest Winter prince had officially fallen in love with the Summer half-breed princess, though it was hardly a cause for celebration. Right now, I feared for him more than anything, as Ash met Mab's eyes with unwavering confidence. Again, a wave of not-so-nice comments spread through the ranks of my mother's soldiers, and she did nothing to quiet them.

The surprise of the Summer fey was evident on their expressions, as they gazed in awed interest at Ash. Even under such pressure to say otherwise, Ash did not flinch, and there was no sign of hesitation in his silver eyes. "Is that so?" Mab's smile was gentle, and almost pitying now. "My dear, dear son. What did she do to deceive you?"

"She did nothing," Ash said again, and gave Meghan one of his rare smiles. Mab's black eyes narrowed, and when she spoke once more, the motherly love was gone from her tone.

"Swear. That you shall never set eyes on her again." It was now, that he must promise as a faery to no longer see Meghan, lest he be exiled to live the rest of his days in the human realm. Ash stared at Meghan, for several long moments, and I could see that the Summer Princess was greatly distressed by the decision. I knew then, that the Ash I had grown used to was lost. It was either he live on as a mere empty shell, or fade away someday in the Mortal realm. He had become reckless and uncaring after Ariella's death. As if some part of him had disappeared alongside her. If he should lose Meghan, I had no doubt that he would try to kill himself nevertheless.

It was obvious then. That this was his decision to make, and it would be mine to feel happy for him, whatever path he may chose. Right then, I knew that it was better for him to live alongside Meghan in the Mortal World. He was strong. He would live many, many centuries there. It was better for him to be with her, in a place where he could live with the happiness he could never obtain here. His hope for a future no longer lay in Tir Na Nog, but rather with Meghan.

Though I had no definite way to tell what Sage was thinking, I somehow knew that he would not object with Ash's decision. Sage was not foolish, and I was sure he knew what I had realized. Meghan could bring Ash more joy than his title, and perhaps even his life. She gave him all the things he never had as a cold, emotionless Winter Prince. This was his destiny, I felt, and when Ash turned to me for a split second, I was sure he could see the encouragement in my eyes. His gaze once more met Mab's, and when he broke the silence, there was no regret in his voice. "I will not."

Mab seemed surprised, taken aback by the sudden resolve in his gray eyes. Though she did not show it, I knew she still thought herself a mother, and she cared, at least a bit, for her children. Now, it seemed she let her mental shields down for a tiny moment, and only those that knew her well could see her pain. Ash was choosing a Summer girl over her, without a single shred of hesitation, and I was sure she felt at least a tiny bit of grief. "I will give you one last chance, Prince. Swear that you shall leave her." Prince. She rarely, if ever, addressed him by his title. It seemed like she too was accepting the fact that he was no longer her son. "She is mortal, and she will die. You are condemning yourself to a fate where you, as well, will follow in her path and fade away. We are not like the mortals. We have no other chance beyond this life. We have not souls, and our very essence becomes the land."

Now there was hesitation in his gaze, as if he were finally realizing that this was no childish game. He was truly to be cast out of the only home he had known for his entire life. Probably, even more than that, he knew that, should he choose to be with her, she would one day die as well. Ironically, the humans were more immortal than us, for after their bodies faded away, their souls would continue their journeys. We were never given such a chance, and Ash knew it. He closed his eyes, letting out an almost silent sigh, and when he once more opened them, they were filled with an incomprehensible emotion. "My choice is made. You cannot separate us."

"Very well. Tir Na Nog is no longer your home." Mab's voice had once more turned cold, and she watched Ash with icy indifference.

"And it never will be again," Ash replied, and Meghan smiled, as if she couldn't help it. Mab raised her hand without hesitation, and a trod opened before us, all the fey gasping at the sight of a world poisoned by iron.

"You are no longer a Winter Prince. If you once more wander into this world, you will be killed. To me, you are nothing more than a traitor and an exile. Leave." Hatred blazed openly in her eyes, and I wanted to step forward, to challenge all the ancient laws of faery, but when I met his gaze, Ash shook his head gently. The unspoken message was clear_. I accept this fate. _

He walked through the trod, and I watched for as long as I could before he disappeared, never to be set foot into Faery ever again. He would live in that world, and die in that world, and I felt indescribable sorrow at the thought. For the price of his happiness, he would one day give his life. In a way, it was how the world worked. Nothing would be perfect.

I barely paid any attention to the rest, but I knew somehow that with blazing eyes, Meghan left Faery as well, never once turning back. Puck watched her go, and in his eyes was nothing less of great regret. It was obvious to me at that moment that all that time, he had loved her as well. But, just as Ash had chosen Meghan over all of Faery, Meghan had chosen Ash over Puck. I might have pitied him, if I hadn't had so much to be angry and sad over.

"You are now my only son, Sage. Rowan and Ash are traitors." Mab turned lovingly towards the eldest, and perhaps, in her eyes, the last, of my brothers, her voice holding a sort of pride. Sage said nothing, merely nodding almost unnoticeably in acknowledgement. Mab once more gave him a smile, then turned to me. I felt the sudden urge then, to hide amongst the ranks of Winter fey. We stared at each other for several long moments, and finally she said, "Do not betray me."

"I have no wish to." At my response, she offered yet another smile, though it did little to sooth me. As she saw it, we were the last of her four children, for Ash and Rowan were dead to her.

* * *

AN

I think this might be the longest chapter I wrote for this story! I thank all of you for bearing with me, and I will try to update a bit more often. Please review on my writing!

-Lapis Moon


	46. Chapter 46: Iron's Poison

In my childhood, Ash had often gone hunting, so I was fairly used to his absence. Of course, then, I knew that he would have to come back. Now, he was no longer obliged to do so, and it made the castle unbearably empty. As for Rowan, I couldn't say that I particularly missed him to any extent, but as Mab paced around the throne room, I really wished he were here. At least, then, our mother's ire wouldn't be directed at Sage and me alone.

Most of us weren't true to our feelings, and I knew that this was the case for the Unseelie Queen. After all, as she fumed about practically everything, I could see that she was grieving as well. Though she didn't show it at all, she really was a mother at times, and I suppose that she cared for the two of them at least a little. Then again, maybe she was still angrier about the humiliation that both of them brought to her.

The room was becoming darker and darker, both physically and in description of the atmosphere. I suspected Mab really did have a bit of influence over the cloudy sky, because the lack of sunlight cast an eerie shadow into the room, making her eyes seem merciless and cold. She held the Scepter in her hands now, the icy blue light it reflected doing nothing to make her seem any less terrifying. In fact, its glow seemed more prominent in the darkness, the brightest color in the shadow of gray that clouded the throne room. As if it were coldly reminding us of its power.

Sage was being unsurprisingly tolerant of Mab's current temper tantrum, staring at her with indifferent, cool eyes, as if he knew she would eventually calm. That was probably true, though that time seemed far, far away right now. "Sage!" Mab's sudden call made me jump a bit, though my brother answered with perfect composure, despite the fact that she looked angry enough to kill the two of us in a mere second.

"Yes, my Queen?"

"You are my last heir now. Act accordingly." It took me a full second to comprehend her words completely, but when my mind finally managed to do so, I had a strange urge to raise my hand and tell her that I was still alive. It would have been pointless, because I never really wanted to be acknowledged as her heir, and it wouldn't do even a bit of good to any of us. "Ash and Rowan have disgraced me! The entire realm heard of their betrayal!" Well, I had to admit that was certainly true, though I really wondered who dared to confirm it in front of her. It was probably due to the rumors that were floating around Faery right now. By this time, I was sure every single inhabitant of this entire world knew about the fate of the two Winter Princes.

Sage said nothing, probably wondering in the same way I was about how to respond, though what I wanted to say was very likely different than what he intended to convey. However, I had better things to do than to be frozen into a solid block of ice, so I kept silent. It was only then did I realize the hidden meaning in her words. Act accordingly. I would pity Sage if he ever decided to follow in Ash and Rowan's footsteps. Truthfully, she had been merciful when she had chosen Ash's fate. How easy it could have been to point the Scepter at his heart and kill him in front of his love? The stony look in her eyes right now made me wonder if she was considering doing just that.

"And the Iron fey! I have never once heard of their existence until but a few weeks ago. If they are truly a threat, we must prepare for yet another war!" Mab's eyes were narrowed in irritation at the mere mention of the creatures born from technology, and for once in this entire conversation, I could completely understand her frustration. It would be easy to count how long I knew of their existence, but the things they stole from me were priceless. War, once again. At least, Ash and Meghan would not be pulled into it.

"Would we ally ourselves with the Seelie?" My voice sounded almost tired, and when I saw the change in Mab's expression, I regretted bringing up the point. I had thought it was a perfectly reasonable question, but the look in Sage's eyes when he met my gaze said otherwise.

"If there is no other choice." Frost had begun to crawl up the walls, a telltale sign of her irritation. It seemed like fey were most sensitive to the glamour of their own realm, because I could feel the air around me tingle with Mab's power. She was frustrated at having to rely on Oberon to protect her own realm, I was sure. After her long reign, I was certain she had rarely needed to rely on anyone. "I want the two of you to search Tir Na Nog for any signs of the iron fey." The unspoken part of her message echoed in my mind. _And destroy them. _

* * *

It felt good to breathe fresh air without the threat of annihilation looming over me, and I cherished the opportunity to explore the realm. Gray clouds piled up in the sky, signaling the start of yet another snowstorm, and I wondered if it was due to Mab's power. Though if it did decide to snow, it would barely bother me anyway, so my thoughts didn't linger on the subject.

"Sage? Should we split up?" We had done it last time, though it had yielded no results. However, it would probably save us time. Besides, a bit strangely, I felt the sudden urge to be alone.

"No," He said simply, not even bothering to look up. I blinked at him, waiting for an explanation. "The iron fey are now proved to be dangerous." He turned to me, and gave a small sigh. "It would be safer not to separate." Though his expression was unchanged, I couldn't help but wonder if he grieved over Rowan and Ash as well. True, we hadn't been the closest of siblings, but it was still hard to believe that they would so easily leave.

"I didn't think of that, but it certainly makes sense." Now that I was thinking of it, the bad memory of having to resort to using the Nature to defend against Virus resurfaced. And that was with the help of a girl who had access to Iron glamour. Though I wondered where she had gotten such a thing, it was really too late to think about it. She was in the human world now, but I did manage to feel reassured because she was with Ash. That way, both of them should be safe. Meghan really was lucky in a way, because even though being half-human caused many fey to dislike her, she possessed their magic, but did not share their weakness.

I scanned the area around us as we walked through Tir Na Nog, noting that if anything, the land seemed to almost be dying. Though not very obvious, the cursed iron glamour seemed to indeed invade our world. It may have been my imagination, but the crystal ice flowers that used to glow like mirrors in the sunlight were drooping now, their buds facing the weakened earth. The icicles that hung from the trees were smaller, as if the natural Winter glamour in the land was no longer powerful enough to support its life. It seemed like the iron glamour that was now growing stronger in Faery was enough to affect our world long distances away. The strength of its poison frightened me a bit.

I let out a sigh, continuing to watch for little signs of the Iron's realm's presence. Most of them could have been dismissed as my imagination, except for the small patch of snow that lay upon one of the tress, significantly smaller than the rest. The snow here was different than that of the human world. Under normal circumstances, it shouldn't melt. Especially now, when Mab held the Scepter of the Seasons, and the power of the Winter realm should have been stronger than normal.

Considering the situation, it was perfectly rational to be suspicious of the iron fey. Though besides that, there was no physical proof, some sixth sense deep inside me warned me that something was wrong. Or maybe it was just sensitivity to the presence of the accursed iron. Either way, it hinted at the possibility that the iron fey could be around us, and that made me wary.

Sage seemed to notice it too, because his eyes had narrowed slightly as he carefully watched the snow-covered trees, focused enough to detect even the slightest twitch of motion. I closed my eyes, listening intently. Though it wasn't the best idea to cut off my sense of sight right now, concentration was needed to hear the tiniest of sounds. Something was definitely off, but there wasn't any sign of further proof to the iron fey that my eyes could detect. "Diana. That tree." In response to Sage's warning, my eyes shot open and I followed his gaze.

Slowly but surely, the tree itself seemed to begin to decay. It was as if the life was literally being drawn from its branches. Unlike Meghan, who had inherited the blood of Oberon, I had no way to save its life, for my affliction did not lie with plants that grew out of the ground. The way the tree was simply wilting wasn't natural, I knew, and right now, I could only think of one rational cause to its slow death.

The image of the dead guardian to one of the trods was burning in my memory, and it would be hard to not see the resemblance. Trees that thrived off of fey land were, like most other things, different from those in the mortal realm. Like to the land, iron was a poison. Though we could not see the cause, the tree merely crumbled, limbs too brittle to hold it up any longer. Then, crawling out of the shards of the broken branches, was an iron bug.

It was almost amusing; how much harm such a little thing could cause. Every single spot it touched, the land seemed almost poisoned. It was a nightmare to think of letting it go free, and it seemed Sage thought the same, because he froze it into a solid block of ice. "How do we destroy it? We can't leave it here," I commented, stating the obvious. If we did, the ice may melt sometime, be it a few minutes or a few hundred years. Sighing, Sage answered, looking a bit irritated at the entire situation, though his voice was surprisingly patient.

"The Mortal Realm." As he said this, I reached down and picked up the small insect in my hands, wincing a bit when I realized that I could still feel a bit of shock from the iron that made up its body. "If we shatter it with cold, the remains may still cause harm." He took it from me patiently, not at all minding of the slight burn.

Stealing a glance at the broken tree, I couldn't help but wonder how easy it would be for the entire realm to crumble this way. It had only been a bug, after all, and it was frightening to consider how much harm could be caused by an entire army. The fey world, which had remained unchanged for many, many thousands of years, was suddenly faced with a threat that could make it crumble into nothing. Though this realm had remained mostly unchanged for that time, the Mortal World did not.

Perhaps humans found more faith in science, for it was in their abilities to use. It may have been harder for them to believe in magic, because they did not possess it. Maybe mortals found most comfort in what they believed to be a definite existence. Or perhaps they chose to believe in what could improve their lives. After all, our glamour mostly did more harm to them than good.

"This is a bit sad, isn't it? That the two of you would have to waste so much glamour in order to get rid of a tiny, insignificant _bug_." The sneering edge to the sickly familiar voice woke me from my reverie, and when I glanced in its direction, my wide eyes met with Rowan's icy blue ones. He smirked again, and I noted how sickly he looked, as well as the presence of iron that tainted the air and corrupted the land around him. "Seriously, if this is how much power the children of Mab can summon, I'm happy to say that the ancient version of Faery is doomed."

* * *

AN

Please take the time to leave a review! I really appreciate the ones I got, and I'm happy that there are people who are still reading my story! Once more, thank you for reading, and please review.

-Lapis Moon


	47. Chapter 47: Author's Note

Author's Note:

I have decided to completely rewrite this story, though judging by its length, I have no clue how long it will take (or if my patience can take it). Anyway, thank you to all my readers, and I will replace this author's note with an actual chapter when I am done. I think I won't change the basic concepts of the story, though many descriptions and conversations will (hopefully) improve. I will try my best to continue to update, and at the same time, I will completely rewrite chapters starting from the first. Please review!

As of right now, I have already rewritten chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Thanks again to Kathryn Euler for the idea of listing the edited chapters here!

-Lapis Moon


	48. Chapter 48: Winter's Heart

"And suddenly you aren't a child of Mab?" I asked my former brother, a combination of rage and confusion adorning my otherwise bored tone. "I was unaware that such things could be so simply changed." Truthfully sometimes, if such things could be simply changed, I wouldn't be biologically related to him anymore.

He only rolled his eyes in response, successfully reminding me of the many times in my childhood he had annoyed me. "Trust me, if something like that could be changed, I would have changed it." An exact echo of my previous thoughts, I noted.

And that was the moment that pure fury engulfed me, though I was very careful not to let it show. At least Ash had hesitated a little when he left us. The memory of Rowan's note filled my mind for a moment, and I wondered what he meant, though right now, I doubted he was in the right mood to fulfill its contents. "Is being the immortal prince of the Winter Realm no longer enough to sate your greed for power?" Sage inquired calmly, his green eyes impossible to read.

"It was never enough," Rowan answered, and his tone was no longer friendly. Winter glamour swirled around him as he drew his sword, blue eyes bright with resolve and power even if his body was weakened.

He looked like he was dying, and even after all he did, I still felt a bit of regret that he had chosen such a path. "What have you done?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Though I had imagined it so many times in my head, I found it impossible to actually fight him with intentions to kill. It meant that though I had tried to convince myself otherwise, I still thought of him as my brother.

"What all of you were too weak to do." Rowan gave a cruel smile, raising his glowing ice blade. He held the weapon with such ease, as if it still belonged in his hands, even if he was dead to our mother.

"It seems you are not aware of the difference between weakness and wisdom," Sage replied, drawing his sword in response. The air became tense, and I felt certain that Sage could kill Rowan. After all, Ash could fight him for Meghan's sake, and therefore Sage could as well. I knew that Mab would not punish us for Rowan's death, for she had personally said that Rowan was no longer her son. However, though I knew how weak it would make me, and how much I would probably regret it later, I still considered him my brother.

"I am, and so I'll give you a bit of wisdom." It seems like Rowan hadn't come to fight. He was acting like a messenger, though I refused to put away my sword, knowing that Mab's orders had been clear that he was no longer allowed in Tir Na Nog. "The Iron King wants to obtain something, and if you want to live, you would be wise to help him get it." He looked serious, and I couldn't fight back a snicker at both his words and attitude. Truthfully right now, I couldn't distinguish which was more ridiculous.

"So, in order to live, we need to search both worlds for a thing. Got it," I said sarcastically, and Rowan shot me a glare of annoyance. That was irrational, considering that I was the one most annoyed right now.

"Can you really afford to have such a carefree attitude, dear little sister?"

"I don't want to hear that from you, exile-who-came-back-to-the-realm-from-whence-he-wa s-banished," I replied, tone laced with sarcasm. Knowing well his control over his emotions, naturally it came as a surprise that his eyes narrowed quickly into a glare. It was even more surprising that he didn't make fun of my choice of words. I had just realized that I could have said 'where'. And the name I called him was much too long to sound good anyway.

"So Mab has exiled me?" Rowan said this with amusement, and I was surprised that he hadn't heard. There was a bit of regret in his eyes for a second, though it quickly flashed away. He could hide his mood well, but his anger caused the air around us to tingle with waves of cold, and I repressed a shiver, more affected by his rage than the actual temperature. "Anyway, moving on…" Giving a lighthearted, carefree laugh, he addressed Sage, voice filled with a mocking attitude. "More wisdom from me. If you don't want to die, join the Iron King, and give him Meghan Chase."

"I would sooner get stabbed by an iron sword," I retorted truthfully. Meghan was Ash's happiness. I would never even think of separating them to save my own life. The taint of iron in the air was becoming stronger, the ends of snow-covered trees pointing downwards, and the land was slowly wasting away. How had Rowan survived, being in direct contact with such a poison?

"That'll come to pass in the near future." He rolled his eyes in contempt and scorn, though there was a certain amount of disappointment present on his features. "And you, older brother? Show me some of that wisdom you speak of."

"I would rather die loyal than live a traitor," answered Sage calmly, like the decision was obvious. Unhesitant, his sword arm moved into a battle stance, centuries and perhaps even thousands of years of memories not holding him back. Suddenly, I remembered how easy it was for Rowan to plan Sage's death, how indifferently he had gazed upon Sage's supposedly dead body. It would be equally easy for him to directly kill us now.

Of course, this was referring to the task on an emotional level, because considering how much iron he had been continuously exposed to, it wouldn't be a surprise if even I had the power to win against him. Silently, I congratulated him in my head, because it was a wonder that he could still summon glamour. He looked almost nothing like the brother I once knew, glamour aura weakened, eyes blazing with fury, and a heart made of pure, unbreakable ice.

* * *

AN

As usual, thank you so much to my readers. Also, I have a question. What genre should this story be posted under? Please answer in the reviews, and thank you once more.

-Lapis Moon


	49. Chapter 49: Winter's Truth

"I will be waiting then. For your realizations of the truth, or your deaths. Whichever one comes first." A strange combination of seriousness and mockery formed his tone, and his eyes were completely unreadable.

"No, Rowan." The rage that had consumed me vaporized to nothing. Finally, the true realization that he was really going to betray us rung through my mind, and registered itself as a state of complete panic. There was a sort of desperation surging through me impossible to describe by words, and I slowly shook my head over and over again. I wasn't like Ash, strong enough to completely conceal his pain. "Don't." That was the only word I could manage to form from my mouth, a summary of all the thoughts tumbling through my brain at the moment.

"Rethink this," Sage said coldly, though I couldn't tell who he was talking to. My emotions felt wild for once, like a storm, and I doubted that I had ever felt so powerfully. For a split second, there was hesitation, and perhaps even regret in Rowan's eyes, before they became cruelly emotionless once more.

"So weak. And this is why you will die." Rowan gave a laugh, though the humor didn't reach his eyes. Somehow, he managed to summon a burst of Winter glamour, and ice crawled steadily up the sides of the trees, sign of his power as a Winter Prince. The snow on the ground flew up in a confusion, and blankets of white were thrown across the land, coating the flowers with its color. "I'm not weak, and I'll become part of a new age. Naturally, we all have an unescapable weakness that makes even humans stronger than us." His eyes grew cold with malice, voice almost eager at the thought of his ideals. "But soon, iron won't ever harm me again."

"Of course not. You'll be dead," I replied, sarcastic attitude and confidence returning in an instant, the thought of his ridiculous ideas and implied insults reviving my strength. "Truth be told, I think the iron killed off some of your brain cells already."

"Don't try to sound strong. We both know you aren't." Again, glamour surged forward, and soon, Rowan had cloaked himself invisible. His final words hit me, and I realized that they may have been the most honest thing he ever said.

* * *

Mab's bottomless black eyes were holding an unspeakable fury, and her voice was filled with forced calm, though her control over her anger felt as fragile and breakable as glass. "War is coming," she finally said. _It's been here for a long time_, I thought, though I didn't dare to say it out loud. "And Rowan is dead to me. I don't want to hear his name again. There are more important things to worry about." She swept her icy gaze across the room, as if in deep thought.

"How will we deal with the iron fey?" I asked, considering the options in my mind. "Their presence is poisoning the land." It was an implication that no matter what, we couldn't run. Though I hated the thought of fighting, it became clear that the longer we waited, the more damage we would take.

"Tomorrow, we will meet with Oberon to discuss that matter." Though Mab didn't raise her voice, cold began to settle into the air, and I had the distinct feeling that it hadn't exactly been a happy decision.

"My Queen, should we prepare for battle?" Sage's hand was already resting on the hilt of his sword, and his expression formed a perfectly unreadable mask. His voice was utterly devoid of emotion, and so I had no clue as to what he was thinking.

Mab was uncharacteristically silent, lost in her thoughts, and Winter glamour swirled restlessly around her, adding effect to the cold of her eyes. Normally, when something offended her, she would never hesitate to either eliminate said offence, or declare war. The fact that there was pause, perhaps even doubt, further proved to me that even Mab recognized the threat the iron fey posed. After all, they had stolen Rowan's loyalty, her land's safety, and nearly Sage's life. No matter how I looked at it, if the iron fey weren't so threatening, Mab would have waged a war that may cause the faery version of the Ice Age to cover the entire Nevernever. The fact she didn't actually scared me a little. "Yes."

Sage bowed, and I lowered myself into a curtsy. "Yes, Your Majesty," I murmured. Looking up, I deliberately stole a glance at the windows, for the sky that had remained unchanged for the many centuries of my lifetime may morph into something else. And for the first time, I dreaded that change.

Closing the door behind us, we left Mab to plan for the war, and the possible alliance with Summer. The two of us walked in silence for a long time, before I finally asked the question that had been consuming my thoughts. "I want an honest answer, brother. If we fight the iron fey, can we win?"

Sage's grip on the handle of his sword tightened considerably, though his expression remained unchanged. "Even if I had wish to, I would not be capable of providing anything but an honest answer," he said simply, and he paused his walking for a moment. "In the context of your question, are the Summer fey lending their support?"

"If I were to give my honest opinion to my own question, I really don't think it would make much of a difference," I replied unenthusiastically.

"More iron fey would be defeated," Sage reasoned, and I could see that he was considering my question carefully. After all, I had been thinking on the pessimistic side, and now that I thought about it, we did actually have a slight sliver of a chance to maybe win.

"And more ancient fey would die," I answered, prolonging the argument to hear his opinion. For a moment, the only sound was the distant clatter of footsteps, and I wondered if he had purposely delayed his answer so that the servants wouldn't hear. "But yes, let's say the Summers happen to realize that if they don't help, they'll end up dying too."

He considered that particular addition, before calmly giving his answer. "Than yes, I do believe we have a chance of winning."

I blinked once in surprise, and I turned to look at him, a silent question echoing through my thoughts. "Why so confident?"

"A chance, little sister. I believe that our side has a chance, though it does not win my confidence," he elaborated, and his hand dropped from the hilt of his sword, which I took as a silent signal that he wasn't tense at the thought of battle anymore. Or maybe he was just distracted.

"You made it sound like there would be a difference in your answer depending on the factor of whether or not Summer helped us. Why?"

Sage's icy colored eyes closed for a moment, like he was considering whether or not to tell me. Finally, he seemed to conclude that it wouldn't do any harm, and he simply replied, "Meghan Chase is a Summer faery."

"She did defeat the Iron King once, though she's an exile now. Exiles don't count, brother. This is a realistic situation." I looked at him, confused, though his expression didn't change at all.

"And all I have given you is a realistic answer."

* * *

AN

Thank you so much to the wonderful people that reviewed and marked this story as a favorite, and/or became a follower! And, of course, thank you to all my readers! This chapter felt like it was full of riddles for some reason, and I had a lot of fun writing it. Anyway, I'm still on chapter 3 of my rewriting process, though I am trying my best to write faster. Please take the time to leave a review!

-Lapis Moon


	50. Chapter 50: Spring's Secret

"My first question should be why you're here, but I'll focus on the importance of this castle having a good defense, and I'll ask how you got here instead." Voice calm and apathetic, I glared meaningfully at the cat carelessly sitting in the middle of the hallway like this wasn't one of the most well-guarded places in Tir Na Nog. "So, how did you manage to get past the guards unnoticed?"

"I am a cat," Grimalkin smiled, wisdom gleaming in his feline eyes, though it really did nothing but aggravate me even more. He licked his paw patiently, and his tail made thumping noises as it hit the ground in a controlled rhythm. A new layer of frost began to creep along the floor, making crackling noises as it collided with some of the furniture.

"And I am a Winter faery, though there are times I can't do the same," I answered honestly, my blue eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion. I didn't question the cat further though, because an alarm that some of the knights were dead had yet to sound.

"I have something to say to the Winter Queen, Princess." His gaze traveled calmly to the lands outside, and I wondered what he was thinking. "This war will be difficult for your kingdom, with two Winter princes gone." There was, of course, no sign of pity or sympathy in his tone, and I exhaled in a quiet breath.

"What exactly is the purpose of your visit, cait sith?" My patience was slowly slipping away, my glamour beginning to swirl around me in a restless dance of cold. There had been no need for him to mention our disadvantage to the iron fey, much less what my mother considered to be Ash and Rowan's betrayal.

"I have knowledge I wish to share with the Unseelie Queen," he calmly repeated, as if I was just a child throwing a meaningless tantrum. My hand rested on the hilt of my sword, and I pulled it out of its sheath just enough for the blade to show. A cold mist tingled the air around the weapon, and a gleam of blue light lit my hand with its glow.

"I will not let you pass without a proper answer," I said emotionlessly, the air's temperature dropping several degrees to prove my point. Slipping into a battle stance, I fully drew my blade, sincerely hoping for the sake of my reputation that he wouldn't simply disappear again.

It seemed like he could read my mind, because all he gave me was an annoyed sigh, before melting into the shadows with bored eyes. For a moment, I glared around the hallway, hoping that the cat would realize how cowardly this seemed to make him look. When there was no response for several minutes, and everything pointed to the fact that I was probably alone in the hallway, I ran in the direction of the throne room, hoping to warn Mab of Grim's presence here.

"Mother," I pushed the doors open, slightly out of breath, my tone filled with urgency.

"What is it? I was considering something important," she snapped, and I realized that she wasn't exactly in the best of moods. I noted that ice was covering almost every available inanimate surface, and I finally concluded that she was really annoyed for some impossible, unknown reason.

"A cait sith is in the castle," I continued quickly, hoping to finish before Grim got here. Or before her temper snapped and she decided to freeze me instead of the cat.

"Greetings, Your Majesty, Your Highness." Again, the cat seemed to morph right out of the air, and though his words implied respect, there was a sense of sly confidence in his voice. His tail flicked back and forth in the air, and his eyes were unreadable, not at all showing of his thoughts.

"Never mind," I muttered quietly under my breath, and both fey ignored me. Or maybe they just didn't hear, and I found that I preferred the latter. I stood there for a moment, wondering if the silence was because the cait sith wanted me to leave. He did say that he had something to tell Mab, and he did seem to be rather reluctant to share with me the same information.

"What is your business here? I have many things to attend to." Mab glared coldly at the cat, gesturing for him to continue, and because I didn't receive a dismissal, I figured I wouldn't draw attention to myself by suddenly leaving.

"Of course, Your Majesty. I have knowledge of a method for fey to enter the iron realm relatively unharmed." The cat respectfully inclined his head, though still posed with sly confidence, and I could have sworn my heart stopped for a moment at his words.

"Something like that isn't easily given without a price. What are you asking for, cait sith?" I hissed quietly, knowing well that it wasn't very wise to speak right now. Freezing temperatures began to spin once more in an icy ballad around us, though I could hardly tell whether it was Mab's glamour or my own.

"Though I usually seek to solve my problems alone, unfortunately, the iron kingdom is a bit towards the larger scale." He took to licking his paw while he talked, occasionally lifting his piercing eyes to stare at me with both amusement and incomprehensible depths of wisdom. "Though I am a cat, it does me no amount of good to simply watch the entire Nevernever crumble to pieces."

"You do not intend even to ask for a favor?" I inquired, eyebrows raised in wary curiosity. After all, I had dealt with cait siths before, and this was probably the most uncharacteristic thing I had seen the sly cats do.

He ignored me, though his furry tail spun in an irritated circle, and his ears flattened against his head, as if personally offended. "My Queen, would you like to know of this method?"

Mab had been watching us with a hint of bored amusement, though now her black eyes flickered to seriousness once more. "Yes, that would be helpful. Though I am surprised you come to me with this knowledge, and not the Summer King." As if to prove her point, frosty snow began to climb the windows, fogging them from our sight.

For the first time in the conversation, the cait sith raised his head, staring straight at the Unseelie Queen, eyes shimmering with unspeakable knowledge that none of us could ever dream of. "I have my reasons," he answered simply, not at all bothering to elaborate. "But first, the materials required for the process are iron, and the iron fey themselves."

* * *

AN

As some of you know, I have begun writing a story with Kathryn Euler which is related to Winter's Tale. Diana is in it, and it occurs after the Iron fey series, so I think it could be called a continuation of sorts. But, as Winter's Tale itself isn't finished, I can't say it's exactly a sequel. More like a story that's related to Winter's Tale in terms of a character. As for the issue of Rowan's mention, I think I'll wait a bit more to reveal that. :)

-Lapis Moon


	51. Chapter 51: Spring's Hope

"What?" I asked bluntly, for once not caring how Mab was glaring at me for interrupting. Frankly, I had more ridiculous and dangerous things to consider than being frozen into a solid block of ice. That particular thought could wait.

"Diana, let him speak," Mab interrupted before I could irritate her any more. A hint of impatience lingered under her level tone, and though I tried, I couldn't disguise the incredulous look in my eyes as I turned to her. The cat seemed smug, more so than he usually was, giving me a feline smile as he returned to the task of licking his paw. "Continue, cait sith."

Most of my mind, the questionably sane part, wished that he wouldn't continue, just so Mab would get annoyed and give me permission to make use of the sword dangling by my side. The other part of my thoughts focused on using it anyway. However, Grimalkin only offered me a lazy smirk, as if he could read my mind, his gray fur bristling from the sudden cold. "There is a method to trap the life and powers of an iron faery, even if the effects are only temporary."

"What effects do you speak of?" Impatiently, Mab straightened, her voice a quiet hiss of command for him to answer. The cat only bowed, unintimidated, not at all fearful of her threat.

"Immunity," Grim responded casually, as if we were discussing the weather, and not the possible method to save all of the Nevernever. "To the substance even cats cannot bear."

_Are you referring to iron, or any kind of small, insignificant danger at all?_ I thought sarcastically, trying my best to appear calm. "What are your ulterior motives?" Voice soft, I whispered out loud, more as a thought than a question I expected the cait sith to answer. At least not without a ridiculous price, anyway.

"I do not have one, Your Highness. My purposes were all clearly stated." Despite his respectful words, the cait sith looked up to stare at me with gleaming eyes, like he wanted to say things much less kind, though he wouldn't in the presence of my mother.

"Given the reputation of your kind, do not blame me if I doubt your words." In a monotone, I replied, turning to Mab to avoid the cat's piercing gaze, wise and unnerving. The Winter Queen calmly stared back, her icy eyes completely undecipherable. The cat didn't seem to bother to respond or deny, but my mother seemed to see fit to answer, voice filled with ancient power.

"Travel to another realm, be it Mortal or Iron. And obtain the materials the cait sith requires, Diana. Swear that you will fulfill my order."

I could have easily agreed, had she not added the last part, making me visibly wince at the realization. If I swore, I would have to somehow find a way to obtain several iron fey, which happened to be made out the substance that could kill me with its touch. But if I didn't, every bit of rage that Mab had kept locked inside herself since two of her sons left would be directed at me, and I tried not to shiver at the thought. The hesitation hung heavily in the air, and for a long, suspenseful moment, I was afraid the Unseelie Queen would kill me for even pausing at all. "Yes, my Queen. I will depart now." I didn't dare turn around again as I walked through the door.

It was completely understandable that Mab would favor my brothers over me. And maybe I wouldn't think it strange for her to favor certain members of the nobility over me too. But I never once imagined the day would come when my own mother would rather listen to the ramblings of an irritating cat rather than my concerns. Musing quietly to myself, I seriously wondered how dire the situation must have been for the Unseelie Queen to accept the aid of a very annoying, sly, and grudgingly knowledgeable cait sith. "Diana. What concerns did you bring to our mother?" Sage's voice broke through my thoughts, and my gaze flickered to focus on him, blinking at the way he seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

"Ones she didn't bother to acknowledge," I muttered bitterly, unreasonably upset at absolutely everything. Where was one supposed to find a few still-alive iron fey? I didn't suppose they were on sale at the goblin market. Then again, information might be, though I doubted many fey happened to see a random iron faery casually wandering the paths of Tir Na Nog.

"If faced with the choice of killing Rowan or allowing him to kill you, would you have the courage to make the correct decision?" Unintentionally, Sage changed the topic, staring ahead with eyes filled with his own thoughts. Winter glamour swept across the floor in a quick draft of cold, and my own eyes widened a bit, surprised that Sage's emotions were influencing the air.

"Which one is the correct decision?" I cautiously pressed, quickening my pace to catch up, and pretending not to notice the chilly shift of temperature around us. He didn't answer, and I realized it may have been because he didn't have one. "I am not unwilling to die for a good reason, but perishing so Rowan can live because I was too weak to kill him isn't a worthy cause." It sounded heartless when I said it, and the words didn't seem like they were mine. "After all, he will only live until another who has the strength that I lacked comes along. And judging from the numbers of the Winter and Summer courts, it wouldn't be a lengthy wait."

The air grew tense with heavy silence, glamour radiating off my brother in astonishing amounts, his magic materializing as frost along the walls. "You have the strength to kill him, then." He sounded almost relieved, though it was hard to tell when his voice contained barely more emotion than a piece of ice.

"I hope that never needs to be confirmed," I answered quietly, making my way down a different direction. Silently, I made the decision to search the Iron realm, hopeful to save time and perhaps my brother.

* * *

The mortal realm was dying. Of course, that may have been a bit of an exaggeration, but the once vibrant glamour found in a crowd of humans was gone, not even a shadow of magic remaining. Completely focused on their tiny devices, screens washing their faces in harsh light, the mortals walked on, fairy tale storybooks replaced by uncountable variations of technology. Shuddering at the sickly feeling all the iron around me radiated, weaved tightly into human society, I quickly hurried on, trying not to think of how dangerous the iron realm would be.

A few minutes later of dodging around humans even if they automatically walked around me, trying to freeze iron even if it probably wouldn't help with my weakening glamour, and trying to look as if I knew exactly what I was doing even if I didn't, I finally reached my destination. Dryads seemed to appear from their trees, some curious and most wary, and I could tell that the poison of iron was slowly affecting them too. "Do you know of a way to enter the iron realm? I need to acquire something for the good of the Nevernever." _And the pride of a cat. _

"There is a way," One of the dryads echoed, gesturing to a certain direction. The trees seemed to sway in agreement, or perhaps warning, but I didn't have even a drop of enough Summer blood in my veins to tell. Patiently, I waited for her to continue, in no hurry to step into the realm of faery poison, or so I had begun to call it. She lay her hand on the bark of a tree, tall and powerful, its branches extending in a reach for the sky. "Night approaches, Princess of Winter, and it will not be long before darkness covers the world. We will show you the path, though the choice of following it will be your own."

Her implications were clear in my mind, though most of her meaning remained unspoken. She was trying to warn me, that it was dangerous to walk straight into the enemy kingdom at night, where darkness gave cover to the creatures unknown to me. "I am the child of Mab, Queen of Air and Darkness. The night brings me no fear, and the shadows only add to the strength of my cold." For once, there was no arrogance in my tone as I said it, soft and respectful, and the dryad nodded, giving a faint smile.

It hadn't been a lie. Unlike the Summer fey, I didn't thrive like flowers under the bright sun, though I lacked the confidence I feigned in my words. All the darkness would do was give me the same cover it would provide for the iron fey. I was, personally, a bit more comfortable fighting with that cover, though the advantage it gave me wasn't at all significant. Though I kept my expression carefully blank, the dryad seemed to sense my hesitation anyway, but she didn't comment.

Silently, she turned, treading deeper into the slowly darkening group of trees, the dusk covering the sky with a shade of blackish blue. Warily, I slowly followed, knowing that soon, I would be in the Iron Realm.

* * *

AN

For a combination of many reasons, I have been very, very busy, and I was unable to update for a while. Hopefully, this slightly-longer-than-usual chapter is enough to make up for that. Anyway, please leave a review, and I'll try to write a bit more often.

-Lapis Moon


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